NEW   MEXICO 


ITS   RESOURCES,  CLIMATE,  GEOGRAPHY,  GEOLOGY, 
HISTORY,  STATISTICS,    PRESENT    CONDI- 
TION AND  FUTURE  PROSPECTS. 


OFFICIAL    PUBLICATION 


OF  THE 


BUREAU      OR      IMMIGRATION 


Arranged,  Compiled  and  Edited  by 

MAX.     KROST, 

Secretary  of  the  Bureau. 


SANTA  FE,  N.  M.: 
MEXICAN  PRINTING  COMPANY. 
1894.   ' 


HE 
i\/CDQlTY 


1 


THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION 

OF  THE 

TERRITORY  OF  NEW  MEXICO. 


OFFICERS. 

E.  S.  STOVER,  President.  MAX.  FROST,  Secretary. 
THEO.  B.  MILLS,  Vice  President.                  J.  K.  LIVINGSTON,  Treasurer. 

EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. 

THEO.  B.  MILLS.  E.  A.  FISKE.  F.  A.  MANZANAKKS. 

President  of  the  Bureau.        Secretary  of  the  Bureau. 

MEMBERS. 

Gov.  W.  T.  THORNTON,     J.  LEAHY.  CELSO  BACA. 

ex-ojficio. 
W.  E.  BROAD.  JUAN  SANTISTEVAN.  MACARIO  GALLEGOS. 

C.  H.  MCHENRY.  J.  G.  ALBRIGHT.  EDW.  F.  OTERO. 

F.  O.  BLOOD.  A.  W.  HARRIS.  WM.  CAFFREY. 
J.  C.  LEA.                          THOMAS  FOSTER.               W.  A.  HAWKINS. 


NEW    MEXICO. 


When  Cortez  and  his  followers  were  bat- 
tling for  the  possession  of  Mexico,  they  were 
constantly  informed  by  the  natives  of  a  fair 
land    to    the    north,    and    at    last,  having  a 
breathing  time  from  slaughter,  they  sent  out 
expeditions  to  discover  new  lands  and  annex 
them  to  the  empire  of  Spain.      Traveling  north  they  found  the 
great  river  that  now  divides  the  two  republics.      Traveling  up 
its  banks  and  noting  the  fertility  and    resources  of   the  val- 
ley and  the  volume  of  the  flood,  they  called  it  the  Eio  Grande 
Bravo  del  Norte.     As  settlement  progressed  the  land  was  par- 
celed out  to  the  conquering  discoverers  and  their  descendants 
for  the  purpose  of  colonization.      These  were  known  as  land 
grants.      When  the  country  passed  under  the  control  of  the 
United  States  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  guaranteed  these 
titles,  but  Congress  delayed  action  thereon  until  a  few  years  ago, 
when  it  instituted  the  court  of  private  land  claims,  which  is  now 
engaged  in  rapidly  determining  these  titles,  and  the  blight  of 
unstable  tenures  of  land  which  has  so  long  characterized  New 
Mexico  is  now  removed.     When  purchasing  a  piece  of  land  now 
it  need  not  be  feared  that  a  lawsuit  ib  bought  011  account  of  a 
counter  claim  of  some  concealed  owner  or  claimant.  m  The  titles 
hereafter  will  be  as  perfect  as  the  government  guaranty  can 
make  them. 

New  Mexico  is  an  unknown  land  of  wonderful  resources.  The 
ancients  had  more  knowledge  of  the  mythical  Atlantis  than  the 
average  practical  American  of  to-day  has  about  New  Mexico.  A 
few  epigrammatic  slanders,  away  back  in  the  '50s,  from  men 
high  in  the  national  councils,  but  who  never  saw  the  borders  of 


NEW  MEXICO. 


tin1  Territory,  detracted  from  its  good  reputation.  Although 
some  of  these  utterances  were  on  the  floors  of  Congress,  their 
reading  would  hardly  make  polite  literature  to-day.  The  New 
Mexicans  of  Spanish  descent  are  among  the  most  honest  dealing 
people  of  the  world.  They  have  not  to  be  sued  for  a  debt,  but 
will  pay  it  to  the  last  cent  either  in  money  or  service.  The  task 
of  portraying  in  straightforward,  unexaggerated  language  the 
facts  about  this  unknown  land  is  very  difficult.  Enthusiasm 
often  amplifies  a  fact.  This,  however,  is  unnecessary  concern- 
ing NewT  Mexico,  and  the  purpose  of  these  pages  will  be  to  prune 
all  statements  to  less  than  the  facts  rather  than  to  expand  their 
proportions. 

New  Mexico  stretches  in  abundance  and  beauty,  waiting  for 
those  who  are  wise  enough  to  investigate  its  resources.  El 
Dorado  is  said  to  lie  "over  the  mountains  of  the  moon,  in  the 
valley  of  the  shadow,"  but  here  may  certainly  be  found  comfort 
and  even  wealth.  New  Mexico  is  as  large  as  the  New  England 
States,  New  York,  New  Jersey  and  Maryland  combined.  It 
exceeds  in  area  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 
land, and  comprises  part  of  that  famous  New  Spain  wherein  Don 
and  Grande  dreamt  of  power  and  influence  in  the  new  world. 
Its  history  is  romantic,  and  its  thousand  valleys  offer  a  multi- 
tude of  opportunities  to  the  industrious.  At  present  the  popu- 
lation, exclusive  of  the  civilized  Pueblo  Indians,  is  over  180,000, 
or  greater  than  the  population  of  any  Territory  on  its  admission 
to  statehood.  In  topographic  features  it  is  a  high  plain,  called 
by  the  Spaniards  mesa,  or  table  land.  At  Santa  F6  this  plateau 
rises  to  7,000  feet,  while  in  the  Lower  Pecos  valley  it  is  de- 
pressed to  about  3,500  feet  above  sea  level.  Its  peculiar  phys- 
ical geography,  so  favorable  to  all  species  of  animal  life,  will 
be  more  fully  dilated  upon  later.  The  precious  and  useful 
minerals  abound,  and  the  commoner  precious  stones  are  plenti- 
ful. Coal  is  found  in  every  county,  but  is  exceptionally  abun- 
dant in  the  two  northern  tiers.  New  Mexico  is  more  blessed 
than  Pennsylvania  or  West  Virginia  with  gigantic  deposits  of 
this  mineral.  In  variety  it  runs  from  anthracite  to  bituminous, 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


from  the  glistening  peacock  to  the  brown  lignite.  The  deposits 
now  being  worked  show  80  per  cent  of  fixed  carbon  and  only  5 
per  cent  of  ash. 

The  Land  of  Sunshine. 

New  Mexico  is  known  as  the  ''Land  of  Sunshine."  That  she 
deserves  this  name  is  shown  by  the  official  statistics.  Santa  Fe"  is 
a  city  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half  above  sea  level.  The  winter 
months  in  any  climate  are  supposed  to  be  somewhat  gloomy 
and  dark.  The  following  is  the  official  record  of  the  sunshine 
at  Santa  Fe  for  the  148  days  prior  to  February  25,  1893: 

SANTA  FE,  N.  M.,  February  25,  1893. 
To  the  Secretary  of  the  Bureau  of  Immigration: 

As  requested  by  you  I  herewith  transmit  an  exact  copy  of 
the  number  of  cloudy  days  during  the  past  five  months. 

Our  official  records  show  there  have  been  17  cloudy  days  in  the 
last  148  days,  including  to-day,  as  follows:  During  October,  the 
21st,  22nd,  23rd,  29th,  30th  and  31st  were  cloudy.  The  sun- 
shine, as  per  sunshine  recorder,  on  the  21st  four  hours,  one- 
half  hour  each  day  on  the  22nd  and  23rd,  made  no  record  on 
the  29th,  on  the  30th  two  hours,  on  the  31st  one  hour.  The 
cloudy  days  during  November  were  the  1st,  2nd  and  5th ;  sun- 
shine on  1st  one  hour,  on  2nd  none,  and  two  and  one-half  hours 
oil  the  5th.  Total  cloudy  days  during  December — the  12th 
was  the  only  cloudy  day  with  no  sunshine.  During  January, 
the  16th  and  17th  were  cloudy  with  no  sunshine,  but  the  sun 
could  be  seen  through  the  thin  layer  of  stratus  clouds  during 
the  greater  part  of  the  two  days.  During  the  present  month 
(February)  the  1st,  5th,  8th,  9th  and  13th  were  cloudy. 

A  cloudy  day  is  one  on  which  the  entire  sky  is  covered  during 
eight-tenths  of  the  day  or  more. 

Eespectfully  yours, 

H.  B.  HERSEY, 
Director  N.  M.  U.  S.  Weather  Service. 

To  show  that  the  weather  observed  at  Santa  F6  is  only  a  gen- 
eral average  of  the  whole  Territory,  the  following  data  concern- 
ing Las  Cruces,  300  miles  south  and  in  the  extreme  southern 


rr 


Cfl 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


part  of  the  country,  are  given.  The  observations  were  taken  by 
Dr.  Alphonse  Petin,  and  extend  over  a  period  of  three  years, 
ended  on  May  15,  1892. 

April  15,  1889,  to  June  14 — Continued  sunshine. 

June  14-  -Thunder  storm;  precipitation  one-sixtieth  inch. 

June  15—  Light  thunder,  no  rain. 

June  23 — Thunder  storm ;  one-third  of  an  inch. 

July  26 — Light  storm,  no  rain. 

July  29  to  Sept.  20  -  Lightning  every  afternoon,  but  no  rain. 

Oct.  14 — Eight  inches  snow;  melted  completely  by  9  a.  m. 
next  day. 

Nov.   15,  16 — Light  shower,  not  gauged. 

Nov.   18  to  Jan.  28,  1890 — Light  frost  every  morning. 

Jan.  30-  Top  of  mountains  capped  with  snow,  lasted  three 
days. 

Jan.    30  to  May  7 — No  rain. 

May  7 — Light  rain. 

June  23— Light  rain. 

July  3 — One  fortieth  inch. 

July  25 — -Thunder  storm,  one-sixtieth  inch. 

Aug.   6 — Thunder  storm,  one  inch. 

Aug.  15 — One-seventieth  inch. 

Aug.  23,  24,  26,  28  —  Storms,  two  to  two  and  a  half  inches. 

Nov.  8 — Light  snow  on  top  of  mountains;  freezing  every 
morning  until  9  a.  m. 

From  Nov.  8,  1890,  until  April  15,  1892— One  and  three- 
fourths  inches  of  rain  and  snow  fell. 

All  the  rest  of  the  days  were  uninterrupted  sunshine. 


The  sunshine  record  for  last  year  of  Las  Vegas,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  Territory,  is  equally  good.      It  is  as  follows: 


Partly 
Cloudy.  Cloudy. 

January 6        8 

February 1         9 

March 2        9 

April, 0        3 

May 3        9 

June 1        5 

July 0        8 


Partly 
Cloudy.  Cloudy. 

August 0        4: 

September 0        2 

October 6        2 

November 2        2 

December 1        1 

Totals..          ..22      62 


or,  for  the  year  1892,  22  cloudy  days,  62  fair  or  partly  cloudy 
days,  and  281  clear  days. 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Climatic  Characteristics. 

These  figures,  however,  do  not  tell  half  the  story.  The  alti- 
tude of  Las  Cruces  is  about  3,600  feet,  of  Las  Vegas  somewhat 
over  6,000  feet  and  of  Sauta  Fe  about  7,050.  This  allows  the 
seeker  after  health  a  wide  range  of  choice  in  selecting  his  cli- 
mate. Silver  City  in  the  south,  Albuquerque  in  the  center, 
and  Eddy  in  the  southeast,  offer  equal  advantages  of  climate 
and  altitude. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  these  figures  give  no  idea  of  the 
warm  genial  days  and  refreshing  nights,  the  glorious  morning 
sunbursts  and  the  brilliant  close  of  day,  when  the  mountains 
shade  from  cerulean  blue  base  to  opal  peaks,  and  the  sky, 
splashed  and  streaked  with  all  the  prismatic  colors,  looks  like 
the  palette  from  which  the  Great  Artist  had  painted  the  shim- 
mering day.  Add  to  thic  the  high  light  of  an  azure  sky,  bright 
and  sweet  as  the  smile  of  heaven,  and  you  only  have  half  the 
picture.  Every  rock,  hill,  mountain  and  plain  has  its  own  pecu- 
liar tone.  No  description  or  painting  can  tell  the  gorgeous 
wealth  of  color  everywhere  displayed  in  lambent  light,  and  when 
the  whole  is  viewed  from  some  garden  mingling  the  gold  and 
green  of  bloom  and  harvest  it  is  not  at  all  wonderful  that  the 
New  Mexican  is  an  enthusiast  about  his  land,  and  that  visitors 
chant  its  praises  far  and  wide. 

Mountains  as  Climate  Makers. 

This  ideal  climate  is  induced  by  the  mountain  ranges,  and, 
as  it  has  an  important  bearing  on  the  agriculture  and  life  of  the 
people,  some  attention  will  be  devoted  to  its  explanation.  At 
Marshall  Pass,  in  Colorado,  the  Eockies  divide  and  enter  New 
Mexico  in  two  main  limbs,  one  stretching  to  the  southeast  and 
one  to  the  southwest.  To  the  west  of  these,  in  Arizona,  the 
plateaux  and  mountain  chains  rise  like  a  flight  of  steps  until 
they  reach  the  continental  divide,  which  runs  just  within  the 
western  boundary  of  New  Mexico.  The  prevailing  winds,  fun-, 
neling  through  the  Gulf  of  California  from  the  wide  Pacific, 
come  laden  with  moisture,  and  meet  this  ever  rising  rampart 


BY    THE    BUKEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION. 


9 


until  they  careen  over  the  summits  of  the  Rockies  and  along 
the  northern  slopes  of  the  Raton  range,  leaving  the  vast  stretch 
to  the  east  and  south  free  from  the  influence  of  the  Pacific  pas- 
sage winds  except  for  such  precipitation  as  is  left  on  the  sum- 
mits. 

Physical  Geography.  * 

With  this  description  of  the  contour  in  mind  it  requires  but 
a  slight  knowledge  of  climatics  to  understand  the  aridity  of  the 
New  Mexican  valleys  and  the  water  supply  for  their  irrigation 
from  the  snow  laden  mountains.  Arizona,  height  over  height, 


presents  her  weather  face  to  the  humid  winds,  and  the  western 
boundary  of  New  Mexico  is  guarded  by  the  bluff,  bald  faced 
peaks  of  the  continental  divide.  The  winds  are  thus  dessicated 
before  reaching  the  valley  area.  The  ranges  depending  011  the 
New  Mexican  or  eastern  side  of  the  divide  therefore  present  a 
very  slight  surface  to  the  passing  clouds,  and  little  resistance  is 
offered  to  their  eastern  journey.  The  study  of  climatic  condi- 
tions in  New  Mexico  is  therefore  intermingled  with  the  corre- 
lation of  mountain  chains.  The  western  chain  of  these  moun- 
tains is  known  generally  as  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  divide,  and 
its  course  is  broken  up  into  the  Cumbres,  San  Mateo,  Ladrones, 
Socorro,  Datil,  Zuni,  San  Francisco,  Black,  Burro  and  Mogollon 
ranges;  while  the  eastern  limb  takes  the  distinguishing  names 
of  Saugre  de  Cristo,  Eaton,  Taos,  Santa  Fe",  Sandia,  Sierra 


10  NEW  MEXICO. 


Blanca.,  San  Andres,  Jumanas,  San  Cristobal,  Organ,  Sacra- 
mento and  (uiadalupe  mountains.  The  minor  details  are  that 
the  Raton  mountains  trend  to  the  east,  forming  the  northern 
wall  of  the  Canadian  valley.  The  rest  of  the  eastern  limb  of 
the  Rockies  is  the  western  wall  of  the  Pecos,  which  is  closed  on 
the  east  by  the  Llano  Estacado.  The  two  chains  described'form 
the  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande,  which  bisects  the  Territory  from 
iiorth  to  south.  In  the  northwest  the  San  Juan  drains  the 
country  toward  the  Pacific.  In  the  southwest  the  Gila  carries 
a  considerable  amount  of  water  in  the  same  direction,  and  in 
tlie  same  section  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  divide  the  Mimbres 
drains  a  large  area  into  an  inland  sink  of  which  Palomas  lake, 
ill  Old  Mexico,  is  the  center. 

Valley  Areas. 

The  Rio  Grande  valley  includes  the  counties  of  Rio  Arriba, 
Taos,  Santa  Fe,  Bernalillo,  Valencia,  Socorro,  Sierra  and  Dona 
Ana. 

The  Canadian  valley  embraces  Colfax,  Mora,  Union  and  the 
northern  part  of  San  Miguel  county. 

The  Pecos  takes  in  southern  San  Miguel,  Guadalupe,  Lin- 
coln, Eddy  and  Chaves  counties. 

San  Juan  county  lies  in  the  basin  of  the  same  name,  while 
Grant  county,  in  the  extreme  southwest,  contains  the  valleys  of 
the  Mimbres  and  the  tGila. 

Nature's  Provision  for  Irrigation. 

Such  is  a  pen  sketch  of  the  Territory.  The  many  problems 
of  regeneration  and  creation  that  must  be  solved  before  New 
Mexico  will  have  realized  her  true  dignity  will  be  further  dis- 
cussed, and  the  first  proposition  that  presents  itself  is  the  low 
average  of  rainfall  in  the  valleys.  It  must  always,  however, 
be  remembered  that  these  figures  representing  precipitation  of 
snow  and  rain  relate  only  to  the  valleys  where  shelter  is  af- 
forded from  storms,  and  that  no  account  is  taken  in  these  sta- 
tistics of  the  tremendous  downfall  on  the  mountains.  It  is  esti- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION.  ll 

mated  that  the  annual  flow  of  the  Kio  Grande  is  sufficient  to 
cover  every  acre  of  its  wide  valley  two  feet  deep  with  water,  the 
great  majority  of  which  comes  from  the  mountain  snows.  If  this 
water  were  evenly  distributed  through  the  twelve  months  of  the 
year  the  problem  of  irrigation  would  be  comparatively  easy. 
The  facts  are,  however,  that  during  the  first  months  of  the  grow- 
ing season  this  rapid  flood  disappears.  This  is  caused  by  the 
abrupt  descent  of  the  laud  and  the  depletion  of  the  snow  reser- 
voirs in  the  mountains.  The  skill  of  man  must  therefore  be 
exerted  to  delay  these  waters  and  properly  distribute  them  over 
the  land. 

Expert  Testimony. 

Col.  Richard  J.  Hinton,  condensing  from  the  report  of  1st 
Lieutenant  W.  A.  Glassford,  of  the  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  A.,  says 
in  his  report  on  irrigation  and  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  there- 
by made  to  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture: 

"The  several  drainage  basins  of  New  Mexico  are  marked  by 
the  great  divides  which  characterize  the  peculiar  parietal  forma- 
tions of  New  Mexico.  The  Continental  range  is  the  first  and 
forms  the  southwest  water-shed  between  the  two  oceans.  It 
enters  the  Territory  in  Rio  Arriba  county  and  passes  into  New 
Mexico  along  the  Sierra  de  Las  Animas.  It  contains  two  large 
basins,  the  San  Juan  and  the  Gila,  and  the  one  small  one  made 
by  the  Zuni  drainage.  There  are  ten  peaks  within  the  borders 
ranging  in  elevation  from  the  Animas  at  6,105  to  the  Jemez  at 
11,260  feet.  The  second  divide  approaches  the  meridian  at  the 
middle  of  the  Territory.  Its  northern  ridge  is  found  along  the 
Sangre  de  Cristo  range  until  it  finally  sinks  into  the  high  mesa 
below  Santa  Fe.  It  then  forms  a  high  plateau  across  the  Ga- 
llinas  to  the  Sierra  Blanca  and  disappears  in  Texas  by  way  of 
the  Sacramento  range.  It  contains  eight  outlying  peaks,  rang- 
ing in  altitude  from  the  Franklin  at  6,890  to  the  Truchas  at 
13,150.  The  western  shed  may  be  related  to  the  Pacific  and 
the  eastern  to  the  Atlantic  divide.  Geologically  speaking  there 
are  within  the  area  four  distinctly  marked  epochs.  They  are 
the  archaean,  entering  from  Colorado;  then  follow  the  palaeo- 
zoic and  mesozoic  periods.  The  cretaceous  covers  most  of  the 
lower  surface  and  outlying  areas.  There  occurred  four  dis- 
tinctly marked  upheavals  of  eruptive  rock  at  wide  intervals.  As 


12  NEW  MEXICO. 


conditioned  by  these  general  characteristics  the  rivers  of  the 
country  are  few.  The  river  systems  of  New  Mexico  then  are, 
the  San  Juan  in  the  northwest,  the  Gila  and  Mirnbres  in  the 
southwest,  the  Rio  Grande  through  the  center  from  north  to 
south,  the  Canadian  in  the  northeast  and  the  Pecos  from  north 
to  south  in  the  section  lying  east  of  the  mountain  ranges  that 
easterly  border  the  Rio  Grande.  In  this  division  there  is  to 
the  east  a  sub-diversion  about  the  latitude  of  Las  Vegas,  north 
of  which  line  the  waters  drain  through  the  Canadian  and  Cima- 
rron  into  the  Mississippi,  and  south  of  which  the  Pecos  drains 
the  rainfall  into  the  Rio  Grande.  Two  very  important  systems 
of  irrigation  are  found  within  these  drainage  basins. 

Irrigation  at  High  Altitudes. 

"In  Colfax  county,  in  the  north,  supplied  by  the  head  waters 
of  the  Canadian,  the  owners  of  the  Maxwell  grant  with  other 
large  land  owners  are  carryyng  forward  an  extensive  system  of 
open  storage  and  distribution  by  which  75,000  acres  of  table 
land  are  being  brought  under  ditch,  and  some  *6,000  acres  of 
which  are  already  under  cultivation. 

"Besides  these  enterprises  in  the  mountain  table  land  and 
under  the  waters  of  the  Canadian  there  are  a  number  of  local 
irrigations  in  progress  for  orchards  and  farms  in  Colfax  and 
Mora  counties.  Some  of  these  are  of  value  in  illustrating  the 
altitude  at  which  fruit  may  be  grown  and  good  grain  and  forage 
fields  harvested.  One  of  the  largest  land  owners  and  ranchmen, 
whose  home  residence,  Chico  Springs,  Colfax  county,  is  at  an 
altitude  of  over  8,000  feet,  has  his  fruit  trees,  berries  and  vege- 
table garden  supplied  by  water  through  a  half  inch  pipe  from 
a  little  but  constant  phreatic  flow  obtained  by  an  opening  made 
in  the  side  of  the  bluff  at  the  back  of  the  dwelling  and  outbuild- 
ings. He  is  engaged  in  constructing  reservoirs  on  the  table 
land  for  the  purpose  of  storing  local  rainfall  and  storm  waters. 
In  the  counties  of  Lincoln,  Chaves  and  Eddy,  also  San  Miguel, 
formed  out  of  the  Pecos  basins,  there  are  two  extensive  systems 
of  storage,  distribution  and  cultivation  by  means  of  irrigation 
now  in  progress.  One  of  these  in  Eddy  and  Chaves  counties 
has  irrigation  works  constructed  to  irrigate  500,000  acres. 
Artesian  waters  have  also  been  obtained  at  Roswell,  and  large 
promises  of  an  important  supply  are  found  in  several  directions. 
The  southwest  basin  of  the  Upper  Gila  is  small  and  not  more 


"Tin-  above  was  written  two  years  ago.     This  area  lias  been  considerably  increased. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  IB 

than  fifty  miles  in  width.  Like  that  of  the  San  Juan  basin  in 
the  northwest,  it  belongs  climatologically  to  the  Pacific  group. 
There  is  a  growing  activity  in  the  San  Juan  basin.  From  there 
directly  southward  the  areas  of  possible  reclamation  are  small: 
There  will,  however,  be  an  increase  of  small  acreage  at  favorable 
points  as  farmers  and  settlers  comprehend  more  clearly  the  con- 
ditions under  which  a  drainage  supply  may  be  tapped,  dug  out, 
bored  for  and  recovered  for  use  in  cultivation.  In  the  Upper 
Gila  basin  the  rainfall  is  commonly  sufficient  to  make  a  success 
of  the  ranchers5  rude  but  profitable  dry  farming. 

"The  central  basin,  that  of  the  Hio  Grande,  forms  not  only 
the  principal  pathway  north  and  south,  but  it  is  also  the  chief 
seat  of  population  at  present.  Its  waters  are  mainly  from  the 
snows  of  the  Continental  range  within  the  borders  of  Colorado, 
though  replenished  by  the  local  precipitation  of  subsidiary- 
basins.  The  tributaries  are  numerous  in  its  upper  course,  but 
after  leaving  the  Taos  canon  they  become  less  frequent;  in  fact 
it  has  below  the  point  where  the  Santa  Fe  and  Galisteo  pour 
their  torrential  flow  no  affluents  of  any  magnitude.  The  oldest 
irrigations  within  the  United  States  are  to  be  found  within  this 
valley,  unless  exception  be  made  of  the  phreatic  cultivation 
whose  evidences  are  to  be  traced  in  connection  with  ruined  Pue- 
blos in  the  Eio  Chella,  etc.,  and  the  Salt  Eiver  valley,  Arizona. 
The  eighteen  Indian  Pueblos  now  existing  in  New  Mexico  are 
sustained  as  to  cultivation  by  the  Kio  Grande's  hydrological 
conditions,  and  they  long  antedate  the  present  Mexican  farmers. 
The  oldest  of  the  latter  settlements  is  undoubtedly  that  of  the 
Mesilla  valley,  the  rich  soil  of  which  has  been  in  constant  cul- 
tivation for  over  three  centuries.  Portions  of  the  Santa  F6 
valley  above  the  settlements  of  Albuq  uerque  and  others  in  Ber- 
nalillo  county  are  next  in  order,  and  later  still  are  the  farming 
communities  of  Conejos  and  Costilla  counties  in  Colorado." 

Rains  and  Their  Causes. 

The  climatic  laws  governing  New  Mexico  will  be  more  readily 
comprehended  after  this  summary  of  its  topographical  condi- 
tions. Lieutenant  Glassford  says: 

"The  Pacific  ocean  is  the  reservoir  of  Arizona.  Its  evapo- 
rated waters  are  carried  by  the  prevalent  southwest  winds  over 
plateau  systems  which  gradually  increase  in  altitude,  and  every 
such  step  opposes  its  maximum  condensing  surface  to  the  char- 


BY    THE    BUEEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION.  15 


acteristic  wind.  The  culmination  is  reached  in  the  system  of 
lofty  ranges  which  overtop  the  highest  plateau.  From  this 
local  action  of  condensation  and  differentiating  the  circulatory 
inspiration  of  continental  lows  which  move  east  of  the  Rocky 
mountains,  there  arise  two  systems  of  precipitation  which  pre- 
sent a  noteworthy  difference  in  character.  The  winter  rains  are 
diffuse  as  regards  the  area  of  territory  affected.  They  are  mod- 
erate in.  force,  and  they  are  interrupted  by  the  anticyclouic 
types  of  high  barometer  and  cloudless  skies,  which  are  dis- 
tinctive of  the  Pacific  coast  weather;  they  are  in  unmistakable 
correlation  with  the  systematic  climate  of  the  country.  The 
summer  rains  are  different ;  in  extent  they  are  concentrated ;  they 
are  uniformly  local  and  attributable  to  local  influences;  they  are 
characteristically  of  great  violence,  which  often  seems  to  justify 
the  mistaken  appellation  of  cloudbursts.  One  other  point  which 
needs  to  be  held  in  mind,  and  that  is  the  records  show  in  reality 
only  the  minimum  fall  of  rain,  since  observers'  stations  are 
mainly  in  the  valleys,  where  their  gauges  make  no  record  of  the 
heavy  rains  which,  are  in  sight  upon  the  surrounding  mountains. 
That  the  rainfall  of  New  Mexico  is  but  a  continuation  of  the 
Arizona  system,  a  projection  of  the  Pacific  humidity  across  a 
congeries  of  condensing  mountain  bodies,  the  ratio  of  whose 
efficiency  is  geometrical,  will  appear  from  a  study  of  the  phe- 
nomena here  presented. 

"In  New  Mexico  the  winter  precipitation  does  not  begin  until 
the  earlier  days  of  January.  By  April  the  winter  rains  are 
definitely  ended,  but  in  the  eastern  or  Atlantic  divide  section 
(the  Pecos  valley  region)  an  area  of  considerable  precipitation 
remains.  This  follows  the  high  summits  of  the  Sangre  de 
Cristo  range  until  it  sinks  into  the  table  land  of  4,000  feet, 
thence  it  tends  southeasterly  across  the  Pecos  head  waters  re- 
gion as  far  as  Gallinas  Springs,  where  it  sharply  curves  to  the 
north  and  extends  over  the  Eaton  range.  The  winter  rains  ac- 
cording to  the  nomenclature  oLthe  meteorologist  are  marked  by 
curves  of  from  one  to  seven  inches  of  precipitation  running 
nearly  parallel.  These  curves  are  outside  the  mountain  lines, 
and  indicate  the  diffusive  and  diverting  influence  of  topography 
on  the  aqueous  currents  borne  to  New  Mexico  from  the  South 
Pacific  ocean  across  Arizona. 

"The  summer  rains  are  otherwise  influenced,  and  the  highest 
precipitations  appear  upon  the  levels  west  of  the  Canadian  river, 
and  upon  the  canon  course  of  the  Pecos,  which  includes  Las 


1C)  N  i  :\v  MEXICO. 


Vegas  and  Fort  Union;  at  this  point  the  fall  reaches  17  inches. 
The  lowest  summer  precipitation  -is  found  in  sections  most 
favorably  influenced  by  the  winter  rains.  The  minimum  is  found 
in  the  southwest. 

"Step  by  step  the  humid  winds  are  drawn  across  over  grad- 
uated plateaus  and  extrusive  summits,  and  at  each  higher  step 
discharge  so  much  of  their  moisture  as  is  a  surplusage  over  the 
saturation,  amount  of  atmosphere  of  a  given  tenuity  at  a  given 
temperature.  There  is  nothing  violent  in  these  systematic 
draughts  of  humid  air  from  the  sea  towards  the  continental 
cyclones  or  vortexes,  the  air  is  chilled  by  the  seasonal  causes 
which  make  the  winter  climate.  The  earth  surfaces  soon  be- 
come largely  covered  with  snow,  and  their  radiating  influence 
is  thus  mechanically  obliterated ;  the  air  lies  in  practically  even 
strata  of  uniform  temperature.  The  humid  wind  is  drawn  along 
these  ruling  conditions ;  on  every  plateau  it  discharges  down  to 
the  point  of  saturation;  the  diminution  in  actual  amount  of 
moisture  is  constant  and  large;  by  the  time  it  overlies  the  Rio 
Grande  trough  its  last  available  moisture  has  been  condensed 
by  the  heights  of  the  continental  divide,  and  sifts  down  to  lee- 
ward. Such  precipitation  as  is  induced  appears  as  snow,  which 
forms  a  storage  reservoir  whose  supply  is  constantly  utilized 
until  July.  With  the  vanishing  screen  of  snow  the  conditions 
proportionately  alter.  The  surface  of  elevation  with  its  soil  and 
rock  masses  ceases  to  reflect  the  incident  heat  rays  of  the  sun, 
but  absorbs  much  of  it;  at  the  same  time  it  radiates  the  heat 
which  it  receives,  currents  are  formed  in  the  surrounding  air 
and  the  mountain  becomes  a  focus  of  activity,  about  which  are 
currents  rushing  rapidly  skyward  and  a  lateral  draft  to  supply 
the  place  of  the  air  withdrawn  by  its  action  of  convection ;  its 
excess  moisture  and  consequent  precipitation  therefore  reaches 
the  maximum." 

Even  a  cursory  study  of  the  foregoing  must  convince  any  one 
of  the  wonderful  advantages  of  the  climate  of  New  Mexico.  Its 
effect  on  invalids  is  surprising ;  its  effect  on  vegetation  and  espe- 
cially its  influence  in  producing  the  greatest  -possible  amount 
of  saccharine  matter  will  be  further  noticed  in  the  proper  place. 

The  contours  of  the  country  described  heretofore  promise  a 
large  artesian  development,  and  the  number  of  such  wells  in 
New  Mexico  is  surprisingly  large.  Some  of  them  are  what  are 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


17 


termed  negative  artesian  wells,  that  is  the  water  rises  in  the 
bore  but  does  not  flow  over  the  top  of  the  pipe  at  the  surface. 
At  Springer,  Koswell  and  Eddy  bores  have  been  sunk.  At 
Deming  nearly  100  such  wells  have  been  sunk  and  their  waters 
are  raised  by  windmills  into  tanks  for  domestic  and  garden 
supply.  Artesian  water  has  also  been  found  on  the  Jornada 
del  Muerto,  on  the  Florida  plains,  south  of  Galisteo  creek,  and 
in  the  extensive  valley  between  the  Organs  and  the  Guadalupe 
ranges,  also  in  the  Manzano  valley.  There  is  little  doubt  that 
all  these  regions,  together  with  many  others  as  yet  unexploited, 
are  extensively  supplied  with  underflow  or  phreatic  waters. 

Geologic  Formations  and  Mineral  Deposits. 

We  may  consider  the  mountains  of  New  Mexico  as  a  nucleus 
of  granite  and  gneiss  overlaid  with  quartzites,  sand  and  lime- 
stones and  shale,  these  latter  being  sometimes  between  1,000 
and  3.000  feet  thick.  In  the  upper  strata  coal  is  a  very  widely 


distributed  deposit,  varying  from  anthracite  to  bituminous,  from 
the  brown  lignite  to  the  brilliant  peacock.  In  Santa  Fe  county 
anthracite  and  bituminous  are  found  in  close  proximity,  often  in 
the  same  mine  lying  in  alternate  strata.  Natural  coke  has  also 
been  discovered,  having  been  probably  caused  by  the  heat  of 


18  NEW  MEXICO. 


the  porphyric  dykes  that  cross  the  country.  These  fields  as  now 
known  cover  little  short  of  a  million  acres,  scattered  in  the  dif- 
ferent counties,  but  there  are  important  areas  which  have  not 
yet  been  visited  and  whose  exploitation  will  amply  repay  the 
prospector. 

Where  Minerals  are  Found. 

Colfax:     Coal,  iron,  aluminum,  copper,  gold  and  silver. 

Taos:  Large  deposits  of  mica  on  the  west  side  of  the  Eio 
Grande,  tin,  silver,  copper,  gold  quartz  and  placer  gold. 

Mora:      Copper,  gold  quartz  and  placer  gold. 

Eio  Arriba:     Copper,  coal,  mica  and  placer  gold. 

San  Juan :  Coal,  copper,  iron,  and  there  are  gold  placers  on 
the  San  Juan  and  Pine  rivers  as  yet  but  little  developed. 

Bernalillo:      Pla- 
cer gold  in  limited  ' 
areas  and  extensive 
mines  and  veins  of  I 

•;-§ 

copper,  coal  and  sil- 
ver. 

Santa  Fe:  Coal, 
iron,  auriferous  cop- 
per, also  sulphates 
of  copper  carrying 

silver,  gold  quartz,  and  extensive  gold  placers  near  the  Ortiz 
mountains,  also  superior  turquoise. 

Valencia:      Coa],  iron,  silver  and  lead. 

Socorro:  Malachite,  lead,  silver,  gold  and  coal,  with  extensive 
deposits  of  fire  clay  and  kaolin. 

Sierra:  Copper,  zinc,  lead,  silver  and  gold.  True  fissure 
veins  are  found  in  some  places  and  rich  chimneys  and  pockets 
are  often  struck.  Coal  exists  in  large  beds. 

Grant:      Silver,  lead,  gold,  copper,  turquoise,  coal  and  alum. 

Dona  Ana:  Immense  beds  of  gypsum,  silver,  lead,  copper 
and  pure  white  marble. 

Lincoln:      Copper,  galena,  gold,  silver  and  coal. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  19 


San  Miguel:     Copper  and  coal. 

Eddy  and  Chaves  counties  have  not  yet  been  closely  pros- 
pected, but  it  would  seem  certain  that  the  eastern  sides  of  the 
Sierra  Blanca,  Sacramento  and  Guadalupe  mountains  bear  large 
beds  of  various  minerals.  Immense  gypsum  deposits  have  been 
discovered  in  Eddy  county. 

Manufactures. 

New  Mexico  has  as  yet  little  or  no  manufacturing  interest, 
but  in  this  lies  the  advantage  of  the  skilled,  thrifty  or  wealthy 
immigrant.  A  plethora  of  coal  and  iron  and  other  industrial 
metals  lies  idly  waiting  the  hand  of  the  artizan.  Train  after  train 
load  of  hides  are  shipped  to  the  East,  while  leather  may  be 
tanned  cheaper  in  New  Mexico  than  any  other  place  in  the 
United  States. 

Many  Tanneries  are  Needed. 

Caiia  agria,  a  species  of  the  sour  dock  root,  grows  wild  by  the 
thousands  of  acres.  This  plant  contains  33^  per  cent  of  tannic 
acid,  the  highest  average  of  any  known  agent.  It  yields  as  high 
per  acre  as  ten  tons  wild  and  from  thirty  tons  upwards  un- 
der cultivation.  At  Demiug,  Grant  county,  there  has  been 
erected  splendidly  —*-?-  ~i 
equipped  extract- 
ing works,  but  it 
should  have  a  tan- 
nery in  connection 
with  it.  Each  tan- 
nery in  New  Mex- 
ico may  be  fur- 
nished with  a  home  

supply  of  tanning  On  the 

matter  without  the  cost  of  a  cent  of  freight,  This  cana  agria 
is  being  shipped  to  Europe  at  a  cost  of  between  $80  and  $100 
per  ton,  several  firms  there  using  it  for  the  preparation  of  their 
best  grades  of  leather. 


20 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Wool  Cleaning  Establishments  Would  Pay. 

Annually  a  heavy  toll  is  paid  on  the  dirt  and  soil  shipped 
along  with  the  12,000,000  pounds  of  New  Mexican  wool,  which 
might  just  as  well  receive  at  least  its  first  treatment  at  home. 
The  Navajo  Indians  are  the  principal  manufacturers  of  wool  in 
the  Territory,  and  their  weaving  has  been  famous  for  centuries 
and  among  the  finest  on  earth.  The  reputation  of  the  Navajo 
blankets  is  too  well  known  to  need  comment.  Numerous  moun- 
tain streams  furnish  ample  power  for  machinery,  and  a  woolen 
factory  would  receive  substantial  aid  in  the  way  of  donations  as 
well  as  patronage. 

Opportunities  for  Potteries. 

In  the  production  of  pottery  and  glassware,  New  Mexico  has 
advantages  surpassing  any  rival.  In  Bernalillo,  Santa  Fe,  So- 

corro  and  San 
Juan  counties 
fire-clay  a  n  d 
kaolin  are 
found  in  im- 
mense quanti- 
ties. Volcanic 
action  or  the 
burning  of  un- 
derlying coal 
mines  has  fired 
mountains  o  f 
this  material, 
specimens  o  f 
which  are  as 
smooth  and 
free  from  blem- 
ish, blister  or 
sand  marks  as 


Indian  Pottery. 

the  best  English  ware.      Vast  beds  of  fine  quartz  sand  and  all 
other  components  of  glassware  are  neglected;  but  from  New 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION.  21 


Mexico  will  before  many  years  be  shipped  the  clearest  and  hard- 
est glass  ever  made.      The  facilities  are  simply  wonderful. 

These,  broadly,  are  a  few  of  the  'many  opportunities  outside  of 
agriculture,  but  every  variety  of  manufacture  is  needed  and 
would  obtain  support  and  profit. 

The  Old  Order  Changes. 

In  the  early  days,  when  the  farmer  of  the  New  England  and 
Atlantic  States  abandoned  the  stony  and  sterile  farm  on  which 
he  had  been  raised  and  nurtured  he  pushed  across  the  Alle- 
ghanys  into  the  wilds  of  Ohio,  Illinois  or  Indiana.  He  found 
a  land  where  his  ploughshare  slipped  through  the  rich  black 
prairie  much  like  a  ship's  keel  through  the  water,  and  he  sang 
the  praises  of  the  new  land.  His  sons  of  the  next  generations 
have  moved  to  the  trans-Mississippi  region,  and  when  they  come 
to  New  Mexico  they  will  find  a  soil  and  climate  as  far  surpass- 
ing the  Middle  States  as  did  Ohio  the  bleak  fields  of  the  East- 
ern Atlantic  States.  In  this  new  country  they  will  make  new 
homes  and  dwell  in  peace  and  prosperity.  In  the  older  States 
the  farmer  depends  upon  the  inconstant  chance  of  the  weather 
for  the  maturity  of  his  crop.  Blind  chance  can  never  be  de- 
pended upon  as  a  factor  in  any  systematic  business.  Here  in 
New  Mexico  agricultural  products  are  scientifically  manufac- 
tured with  no  more  risk  of  failure  than  is  experienced  in  the 
manufacture  of  a  bolt  of  cloth  or  any  other  material.  The  only 
prerequisite  here  is  a  sufficiency  of  water  to  mature  the  crop, 
and  this  factor  can  always  be  relied  upon  and  determined  before- 
hand by  any  farmer. 

Irrigation  L,aws. 

It  will  therefore  be  interesting  at  this  point  to  give  a  synop- 
sis of  the  irrigation  laws  of  New  Mexico,  as  the  farmer  from  the 
East  and  South  will  be  interested  in  learning  the  regulations 
under  which  water  for  his  fields  may  be  obtained. 

Under  the  statutes  of  New  Mexico  water  for  irrigation  has 
the  right  of  way ;  no  building,  no  footpath,  no  work  of  human 
hands  must  be  allowed  to  obstruct  its  free  flow.  When  a  corn- 


22  NEW  MEXICO. 


muuity  or  colony  move  onto  unoccupied  lands  which  they  de- 
sire to  cultivate,  if  each  member  of  the  community  owns  the 
land  he  desires  he  irrigates  so  that  all  are  to  be  benefitted,  and 
no  one  shall  be  bound  to  pay  for  the  land  through  which  the 
ditches  or  acequias  run,  but  the  course  of  ditches  or  acequias 
must  not  be  disturbed.  All  rivers  and  streams  in  this  Territory 
are  declared  to  be  public  acequias.  The  owners  of  acequias  and 
lands  irrigated  by  them  elect  overseers,  or,  as  they  are  called 
here,  mayordomos,  for  each  district  yearly.  All  fees  collected 
for  infraction  of  the  irrigation  laws  of  the  Territory  must  be 
expended  in  keeping  the  acequias  in  repair  and  building  bridges 
where  public  roads  cross  them,  if  deemed  necessary. 

All  plants,  of  any  description,  growing  on  the  banks  of 
ditches  belong  to  the  owners  of  the  lands  through  which  they 
run.  All  acequias,  public  or  private,  are  the  property  of  the 
person  or  persons  holding  them,  and  no  person  or  persons  shall 
be  allowed  to  use  them  without  the  consent  of  the  owner  or  the 
majority  of  the  owners  of  such  acequia,  and  on  payment  pro- 
portionate to  their  share  of  the  primary  cost,  or  the  quantity  of 
water  proposed  to  be  used.  All  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  Mex- 
ico have  the  right  to  construct  either  public  or  private  acequias, 
a,nd  to  take  their  water  supply  wherever  it  can  be  obtained;  but 
they  must  pay  the  owners  of  the  land  through  which  their  ace- 
quias pass  a  just  compensation  for  the  land  used;  but  if  the 
owner  of  the  land  taken  demands  an  exorbitant  price,  the  pro- 
bate judge  appoints  three  experts  who  fix  the  price  to  be  paid. 

Mayordomos  are  elected  annually  and  have  control  of  the 
acequias  that  furnish  water  for  the  lands  of.  their  district,  and 
can  call  out  the  owners  of  lands  irrigated  by  such  acequia  to 
perform  the  necessary  labor  to  put  or  keep  the  distributing 
ditches  in  repair;  and  can  apportion  and  distribute  to  each  land 
Qwner  under  the  ditches  the  amount  of  water  to  which  he  is 
entitled  according  to  the  land  cultivated  by  him,  considering 
the  nature  of  the  crops  he  cultivates.  The  pay  of  the  rnayor- 
domo  is  fixed  by  a  vote  of  a  majority  of  the  owners  of  the  land 
irrigated  by  the  pitches  under  his  control.  In  large  irrigation 
districts,  where  long  ditches  are  in  use,  with  many  branches, 
there  is  a  mayordomo  with  an  assistant  inayordomo,  and  their 
acequia  companions,  who  shall  settle  the  questions  which  may 
arise  in  regard  to  the  keeping  in  repair  of  ditches,  the  distribu- 
tion of  water,  and  see  that  the  water  is  kept  running  vigorously 
during  the  cropping  season. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  23 

AD  persons  interested  in  a  common  ditch  or  acequia,  be  they 
owners  or  lessees,  shall  labor  thereon  in  proportion  to  their  laud, 
and  any  person  so  interested  who  shall  refuse  to  perform  his 
share  of  such  labor,  when  called  upon,  shall  be  fined  for  each 
offense  a  sum  not  exceeding  $10. 

Any  person  obstructing  or  interfering  with  such  acequia,  or 
using  water  from  it  without  permission,  is  liable  to  a  fine  of  $10 
for  each  offense. 

The  mayorclomo  shall  see  that  no  water  currents  so  run  as  to 
injure  lands  or  tenements  of  private  owners,  to  do  damage  to 
public  property  or^  inconvenience  the  public. 

Laborers  on  the  repair  of  acequias  must  work  until  the  work 
is  completed  or  they  are  released  by  the  mayordomo,  having 
completed  their  share  of  the  work. 

No  owner  of  irrigable  lands  shall  leave  his  district  for  more 
than  three  days  at  one  time  during  the  crop  season  without 
notifying  the  mayordomo  about  the  person  who  will  remain  in 
his  stead ;  and  any  such  person  so  left  shall  have  all  the  respon- 
sibility in  regard  to  working  the  ditches  that  the  owner  would 
have  had  if  present. 

Any  person  traveling  through  the  Territory  shall  be  free  to 
water  his  animals,  necessary  to  his  transit,  at  any  river,  stream 
or  acequia,  but  must  not  water  herds  at  acequias  or  private 
water  ponds,  or  springs,  without  consent  of  the  owner.  This 
provision  of  the  law  does  not  apply  to  wells,  which  are  private 
property. 

Any  person  who  shall  foul  the  water  of  any  stream,  or  throw 
into  any  ditch,  river  or  spring  of  flowing  water  any  dead  or  pes- 
tiferous animal,  or  other  impurity  of  any  kind  that  might  injure 
the  health  of  any  of  the  inhabitants  of  a  town  or  settlement,  is 
liable  to  a  fine  of  not  less  than  $L  nor  more  than  §10. 

Ditches  Exempt  from  Taxation. 

The  above  is  a  compendium  of  the  water  code  of  New  Mex- 
ico, a  code  which  is  the  outgrowth  of  local  regulations  that  have 
been  in  force  since  the  advent  of  the  Spaniard,  and  appear 
to  be  well  adapted  to  the  protection  of  the  tiller  of  the  soil 
whenever  enforced  in  their  spirit.  They  relate,  however,  only 
to  the  communal  ditches.  The  last  legislature  enacted  that  all 
irrigation  systems,  reservoirs,  ditches  and  canals  hereafter  con- 


Cacti  on  the  Jornada  del  Muerto. 


BY    THE    BUKEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION.  25 

structed  or  old  ones  extended  and  improved  shall  be  exempt  from 
taxation  for  a  period  of  six  years  from  the  date  of  such  con- 
struction and  improvements.  By  federal  and  territorial  statute 
irrigation  systems,  reservoirs  and  canals  have  the  right  of  way 
free  over  the  public  domain. 

The  laws  and  customs  for  the  government  of  the  community 
ditches  are  based  011  the  Spanish  and  Moorish  traditions  of  the 
art,  which  for  centuries  have  had  the  sanction  and  authority  of 
use,  and  may  be  accepted  as  very  good.  They  proceed  on  the 
theory  that  water  is  subjected  to  beneficial  public  servitudes, 
and  that  the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest  number  is  the  end  to 
be  achieved.  At  the  same  time  the  New  Mexicans  are  an  ex- 
tremely conservative  and  rigid  race,  and  strenuously  believe  in 
the  validity  and  stability  of  any  interest  that  once  becomes 
established  or  vested. 

Non- irrigated  Crops. 

It  must  not  be  understood  from  the  foregoing  that  crops  may 
not  be  matured  in  New  Mexico  without  the  aid  of  irrigation. 
Along  the  western  and  eastern  slopes  of  the  continental  divide 
a  good  harvest  may  be  had  without  the  artificial  application  of 
water.  The  farmer,  however,  will  quickly  learn  that  it  pays  to  in- 
sure his  crop  by  expending  the  average  cost  of  irrigation,  which 
is  usually  about  $1. 50  per  acre  annually.  The  actual  figures 
will  be  given  under  the  head  of  the  various  counties.  As  a  gen- 
eral proposition,  the  farmer  of  the  East  who  realizes  from  $18 
to  $20  per  acre  on  the  ordinary  crops  raised  in  his  section  would 
be  willing  to  pay  any  insurance  company  $1.50  per  acre  that 
would  assure  him  his  crop.  How  much  more  easily  can  the  New 
Mexican  farmer  pay  this  small  insurance.  He  raises  an  average 
of  35  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre,  and  his  gross  alfalfa  crop 
will  run  from  $50  to  $80.  The  Eastern  farmer  soon  learns  that 
when  he  cultivates  fields  in  New  Mexico  he  has  all  the  advan- 
tages of  a  manufacturer.  If  his  land  is  under  a  good  ditch  it 
yields  crop  after  crop  without  danger  of  failure. 


26  NEW  MEXICO. 


Natural  Advantages  of  Irrigation. 

According  to  Prof.  Saunders,  the  venerable  botanist  of  the 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  plant  life  depends  on  four 
elemental  properties:  light,  water,  heat  and,  as  he  expresses  it, 
poison,  meaning  the  soil.  Given  the  first  three  and  any  plant 
known  in  nature  will  grow.  The  last  is  only  important  as  an 
alembic  for  mixing  them.  Experiments  have  also  shown  that 
flint  sand,  washed  of  every  bit  of  humus  and  fertilizing  matter, 
in  which  seeds  have  been  planted  for  a  number  of  crops  and 
which  is  then  dried  out  will  weigh  a  great  deal  more  than  be- 
fore the  process  of  cultivation  began.  This  experiment  shows 
conclusively  that  irrigation  instead  of  depleting  the  soil,  as  does 
every  other  form  of  cultivation,  enriches  it.  In  New  Mexico  we 
have  an  almost  constant  sunshine,  a  genial  heat,  and  our  moun- 
tain waters  are  filled  with  the  very  best  fertilizing  matter.  It 
is  a  fact  that  fields  and  orchards  subjected  to  a  long  series  of 
irrigation  become  yearly  richer  and  more  productive.  This  is 
because  the  chemical  food  of  the  plants  carried. in  the  water  is 
in  excess  of  the  needs  of  agriculture. 

Irrigation  in  this  Country  and  its  Spread. 

Irrigation  in  the  United  States  outside  of  New  Mexico  and 

Utah  is  just  23  years  old. 
It  began  in  Colorado  and 
California  at  about  the  same 
time,  1870.  In  this  year  the 
Greeley  ditch  in  Colorado 
and  A.  Y.  Easterby's  canal 
in  the  San  Joaquin  valley 
were  taken  out.  In  each 
place  the  soil  was  dry  and 
unproductive.  In  the  San 
Joaquin  valley  it  was  ninety 

cutting  Aifaifa.  feet  to  water.     Up  to  1880 

the  progress  made  outside  of  these  enterprises  was  insignificant, 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  27 

and  many  vicissitudes  marked  the  progress  of  the  art,  and  it 
was  not  until  1886  that  any  notice  was  taken  of  it.  In  this  year 
the  U.  S.  Agricultural  Department  issued  a  monograph  by  Col. 
Richard  J.  Hinton,  which  came  as  a  revelation  to  the  farmers 
of  the  East.  Up  to  that  time  the  arid  region  stretching  from 
the  100th  meridian  of  west  longitude  was  supposed  to  be  an  irre- 
claimable desert;  but  when  once  the  advantages  of  the  country 
were  explained,  neither  money  nor  men  were  lacking  to  develop 
the  new  empire.  Until  1886  the  great  West  was  regarded  as 
only  valuable  for  mining  purposes,  but  under  the  beneficent 
influences  of  irrigation  the  arid  States  now  produce  a  greater 
amount  of  annual  wealth  from  agriculture  than  could  ever  be 
expected  from  minerals. 

New  Mexico's  Advantages. 

New  Mexico  has  far  more  advantages  in  water,  soil  and  sun- 
shine than  any  other  State  or  Territory.  Its  climate  is  equally 
if  not  far  more  bracing  than  that  of  Colorado.  It  is  not  sub- 
jected to  the  sud- 
d  e  n  changes  of 
temperature  of 
that  State.  It  is 
superior  in  tonic 
effect  to  that  of 
California.  No 
claim  can  be  made 

by     New     Mexico  Orchard  and  Vineyard. 

to  ability  to  produce  the  orange  and  the  lemon,  although  some 
misguided  enthusiasts  claim  this  advantage.  It  is,  however, 
essentially  a  fruit  producing  country,  but  the  farmer  should 
restrict  his  efforts  to  such  as  grows  in  the  tempera-te  zone. 

Advantages  of  Market. 

For  two  reasons  New  Mexico  has  superior  advantages  to  Cali- 
fornia and  Colorado,  its  principal  rivals.  It  has  an  earlier  season 
by  about  three  weeks  than  Colorado,  and  because  of  its  more 


28  NEW  MEXICO. 


central  location  commands  the  market  about  ten  days  ahead  of 
California  in  selling  all  hardy  fruits.  Fruit  plucked  in  New 
Mexico  one  morning  will  be  in  Denver  and  on  the  breakfast 
table  next  morning.  It  will  be  in  Kansas  City  in  36  hours,  in 
Chicago  in  48  and  New  York  in  52  hours.  For  this  reason  we 
have  another  advantage:  fruit  can  be  allowed  to  remain  longer 
on  the  trees  in  New  Mexico  before  shipment  than  elsewhere. 
Thus  it  preserves  a  better  flavor  and  appearance.  For  these 
reasons  it  commands  about  30  per  cent  better  price.  Fruit  that 
comes  from  California  and  sells  for  2  cents  a  pound,  if  raised  in 
and  shipped  from  New  Mexico  will  bring  3  cents  a  pound  or  over. 

A  Timely  Rainy  Season. 

Another  thing  that  should  be  borne  in  mind  is  that  the  rainy 
season  in  New  Mexico  comes  in  July  and  August,  just  when 
needed  to  wash  the  leaves  and  the  fruit  free  of  all  impurities. 
All  the  sweet  and  luscious  qualities  of  flavor  and  every  beauty 
of  appearance  are  therefore  enhanced. 

These  facts,  briefly  outlined,  will  be  more  carefully  reviewed  in 
succeeding  chapters  of  this  book,  and  every  statement  will  be 
amply  proven  from  incontrovertible  deductions  of  fact  and  quo- 
tations from  the  public  records. 

Principal  Irrigation  Works. 

At  the  present  time  the  principal  irrigation  works  of  the  Ter- 
ritory are  confined  to.  four  main  systems  of  irrigation.  Under 
the  Maxwell  and  Springer  works  in  the  northeast  there  are 
about  100,000  acres  now  under  excellent  canals.  The  reservoirs 
and  canals  of  the  Pecos  valley  cover  nearly  500,000  acres  of 
land.  So  great  has  been  the  development  here  that  a  railroad 
250  miles  long  has  been  partly  constructed  and  is  now  being 
completed  to  handle  its  immense  business. 

In  the  Rio  Grande  valley  under  numerous  systems  of  small 
Mexican  canals  there  are  about  300,000  acres  under  ditch  and 
cultivation,  and  the  completion  of  the  works  on  the  Mimbres 
river  will  put  25,000  acres  of  land  under  cultivation.  In  San 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  29 

Juan  county  there  are  now  under  ditch  about  30,000  acres,  and 
the  close  of  this  year  will  see  that  figure  largely  increased. 
There  are  available  in  this  county  about  150,000  acres  of  the 
best  fruit  land  in  the  world,  and  there  is  more  water  than  can 
possibly  be  used. 

Altogether  New  Mexico  has  about  20,000,000  acres  of  agri- 
cultural land  to  offer  for  settlement,  but  so  little  has  been  known 
of  her  resources  that  it  is  only  of  late  years  that  attention  has 
been  attracted  to  the  great  advantages  presented  for  agricul- 
ture. While  she  has  the  lowest  average  of  native  paupers  and 
criminals,  her  people  have  been  maligned,  and  a  misinformed 
public  press  has  perverted  public  opinion.  However,  better 
information  is  now  being  sent  abroad,  a  large  share  of  immi- 
gration is  settling  within  her  borders,  and  the  true  knowledge 
of  her  resources  is  becoming  more  general. 

Prices  of  Agricultural  Products. 

Another  point  that  must  be  borne  in  mind  in  regard  to  New 
Mexico  is  that  the  prices  for  agricultural  products  are  very  high, 
and  likely  to  so  continue  for  many  years.  Adjacent  to  every 
farming  community 
is  a  mining  district 
and  this  tends  to  raise 
the  prices.  As  an  in- 
stance of  profit,  a 
young  man  in  San 
Juan  county,  named 
Moss,  son  of  one  of 
the  county  commis- 
sioners, planted  as  an  Aifaifa  Meadow, 
experiment  an  eighth  of  an  acre  of  onions  and  cleared  in  net 
profit  $125,  or  at  the  rate  of  $1,000  per  acre.  Grapes  range 
from  2  to  4  cents  per  pound,  apples  from  1^  to  5  cents,  peaches 
from  3  to  7  cents.  The  lowest  price  for  baled  alfalfa  is  $10 
per  ton  on  the  cars,  and  it  ranges  from  that  to  $22  or  $23  in 
parts  of  the  Territory.  „  Other  crops  are  in  like  proportion. 


30  NEW  MEXICO. 


Below  is  given  a  careful  estimate  of  yields  per  acre  of  various 
crops  and  wholesale  prices  for  the  same.  The  farmer  who  could 
not  get  along  in  New  Mexico  should  quit  the  business. 

Average  Yield  per  Acre. 

Bushels. 
Wheat  .......................................................  30  to  35 

Corn  .........................................................  60  to  80 

Barley  ...................................  .....................   40  to  50 

Tons. 
Mangel  Wurzel  Beets  ...........  ...............................  50  to  63 

Sugar  Beets  ...................................................  30  to  50 

Onions  .  .  .  ,  ....................................................     5  to  10 

Turnips  .......................................................   10  to  15 

Alfalfa  .......................................................     4  to  10 

Pounds. 
Cabbage  ................................................  30,000  to  40,000 

Beans  ..................................................     3,000  to    4,000 


...............................................  25,000  to  30,000 

Grapes  .................................................     5,000  to  10,000 

Wholesale  Prices  of  Produce  in  Season. 

Per  Ton. 

Alfalfa  .................................................  $10  00  to  820  00 

Mangel  Wurzel  Beets  ...................................     7  00  to      9  00 

Turnips  ................................................     6  00  to      9  00 

Per  Cwt. 
Wheat  ..................................................     1  00  to      1  10 

Corn  ...................................................    1  05  to      1  15 

Oats  ...................................................     1  00  to      1  55 

Barley  .................  .  ...............................     1  00  to      1  50 

Onions  .................................................     1  50   to      2  00 

Beans  .................................................     2  60  to      3  00 

Potatoes  ...............................................     1  50  to      2  00 

Turnips  (table)  .........................................     3  00  to      4  00 

Carrots  .................................................     3  00  to      4  00 

Beets  ..................................................     2  00  to      3  00 

Cabbage  ...............................................     1  40  to      1  60 

Per  Doz.  Bunches. 
Lettuce  ................................................         25  to         45 

Lettuce  (early  hotbed)  ..................................  75 

Radishes  ...............................................  25 

Radishes  (early  hotbed  ..................................  40 

Celery  ........................  •  .........................  60 

Per  Pound. 

Peas  (fresh)  ............................................  06  to  OS 

Beans  (table),  fresh  .....................................  06  to  08 

Cauliflower  ............................................  07  to  08 

Apples  .................................................  03  to  05 

Pears  ...................................................  05  to  08 

Peaches  ................................................  02  to  08 

Grapes  .................................................  02  to  04 

Per  Doz. 

Melons..  1  00  to      2  50 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  31 

Information  Concerning  the  Counties. 

The  following  general  information  concerning  the  several 
counties  of  New  Mexico  will  be  found  interesting: 

Bernalillo  County. 

Total  area  is  5,024,136  acres,  and  the  available  area  for  agri- 
cultural and  pastoral  purposes  is  2,000,000  acres. 

Albuquerque  is  the  county  seat.  The  principal  resources  are 
agriculture,  cattle  and  sheep  raising  and  coal  mining.  At  Gallup, 
near  the  Arizona  line,  a  large  coal  mining  industry  has  been 
established.  About  135  cars  of  coal  are  shipped  daily.  Fine 
timber  is  to  be  found  in  the  mountains,  and  an  impetus  has 
lately  been  given  to  colony  settlement  along  the  various  streams. 
The  county  has  good  railroad  connections  through  the  Atchison, 
Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Eailroad  and  the  Atlantic  &  Pacific  Kail- 
way.  The  Eio  Grande  and  tributary  valleys  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Albuquerque  are  especially  adapted  to  fruit  raising, 
Bernalillo  county  has  a  population  according  to  the  last  census 
of  20,469  persons,  but  this  has  been  largely  increased  during 
the  last  three  years.  Albuquerque  is  a  growing  railroad  center 
and  one  of  the  most  thriving  towns  in  the  West. 

Chare's  County, 

Situated  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  Territory,  has  a  total 
area  of  6,635,600  acres,  and  an  area  of  2,000,000  acres  available 
for  agriculture  arid  pasturage.  A  goodly  proportion  of  this  is 
well  watered.  Its  principal  sources  of  water  supply  are  the  Pecos 
river  and  its  tributaries.  Its  irrigation  works  are  among  the 
most  important  on  the  continent.  The  population  is  3,310  ac- 
cording to  the  census,  but  the  development  has  been  greater  in 
this  and  Eddy  county  during  the  last  three  years  than  in  any 
'other  part  of  New  Mexico,  and  therefore  the  proportion  of  in- 
crease will  be  greater.  Hoswell  is  the  county  seat. 

Col  fax  County, 

With  Springer  as  its  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  10,655 
according  to  the  census,  but  it  contains  now  about  13,000  peo- 


-"€ 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  33 

pie.  It  is  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Territory.  It  has  two 
railroad  systems,  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe"  from  north 
to  south,  and  the  Union  Pacific  Eailroad  from  north  to 
southwest.  Where  the  soil  is  not  tilled  it  is  covered  with  a 
heavy  growth  of  grass,  encouraging  cattle  and  sheep  raising. 
The  finest  cereals,  potatoes  and  grasses  are  raised.  In  the  fruit 
line  apples  are  the  profitable  crop.  Timber  cutting  and  mining 
are  also  very  profitable.  The  Canadian  river  and  tributaries  fur- 
nish water  for  irrigation.  The  average  rainfall  is  sufficient  to 
mature  the  native  grasses. 

The  total  area  is  3,658,073  acres,  and  of  this  1,520,250  acres 
are  arable  or  fit  for  good  pasture. 

Dona  Ana  County. 

Total  area  of  this  county  is  6,251,900  acres,  and  of  this  there 
are  available  for  purposes  of  cultivation  and  pasture  3,920,000 
acres.  The  famous  Mesilla  valley,  fifty  miles  long  by  from  three 
to  five  miles  wide,  is  in  this  county.  The  fruit  from  this  region, 
owing  to  the  early  spring  and  summer,  has  about  three  weeks 
advantage  in  the  market  over  that  from  other  sections.  Its 
quality  and  flavor  are  of  the  very  best.  The  country  is  divided 
into  mesa  and  plains  dominated  by  several  detached  mountain 
ranges  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  miles  long.  Las  Cruces  is 
the  county  seat.  The  total  population  of  the  county  according 
to  the  census  was  10,000  persons,  but  is  much  greater  to-day. 

Eddy  County. 

The  total  area  of  this  county  is  4,562,290  acres,  and  of  this 
1,970,000  acres  are  arable  or  fit  for  pasture.  The  Pecos  river 
and  its  tributaries  supply  water  for  irrigation.  The  lands  of  this 
county  and  Chaves  are  under  practically  the  same  system  of  irri- 
gation. Within  the  two  there  are  now  reclaimed  500,000  acres 
of  land.;  60,000  acres  have  been  sold  to  bona  fide  farmers,  and 
there  are  about  20,000  acres  actually  under  cultivation.  Accord- 
ing to  the  census  the  population  is  very  small,  but  the  immi- 
gration of  the  last  three  years  has  increased  it  to  over  7,000 
persons.  Eddy  is  the  county  seat,  and,  although  only  three  years 


34:  NEW  MEXICO. 


old,  has  a  permanent  population  of  nearly  3,000  inhabitants. 
It  is  one  of  the  best  regulated  and  most  delightful  towns  in  the 
West.  There  are  no  saloons  allowed  in  it. 

Guadalupe  County. 

The  total  area  is  3,124,160  acres,  and  the  available  area  is  over 
2,000,000  acres  fit  for  cultivation  and  grazing.  It  was  created 
by  act  of  the  legislature  February  26,  1891,  and  includes  a  long 
stretch  of  the  Pecos  valley  and  tributary  streams.  The  Llano 
Estacado  or  Staked  Plain  has  its  beginning  in  the  eastern  part 
of  this  county.  The  country  is  as  yet  somewhat  sparsely  settled ; 
but  the  Pecos  river  offers  splendid  opportunities  for  irrigation 
works  of  a  kind  that  will  reclaim  thousands  of  acres.  Puerto 
de  Luna,  on  the  Pecos  river,  is  the  county  seat.  The  population 
is  about  3.050.  Its  resources  are  well  worth  examining. 

Grant  County. 

The  total  area  is  5,736,920  acres,  and  of  this  3,450,000  acres 
are  available  for  pastoral  purposes.  The  laud  now  cultivated  is 
mainly  confined  to  the  creek  bottoms  and  along  the  Gila  river. 
On  the  Gila  plateau  they  claim  to  raise  crops  successfully  with- 
out irrigation,  and  in  a  general  sense  this  is  true ;  but  this  kind 
of  farming,  here  as  well  as  in  the  East,  is  subject  to  the  caprices 
of  the  weather,  and  many  of  the  farmers  are  taking  out  small 
ditches  to  insure  their  crops.  At  Deming  the  water  of  negative 
artesian  wells  is  somewhat  extensively  used  in  garden  and  small 
orchard  irrigation.  Silver  City  is  the  county  seat,  and  Deming 
in  the  southern  part  is  an  important  town.  The  population  of 
the  county  numbers  about  11,000.  This  county  is  rich  in  min- 
eral resources,  and  in  the  Mimbres  valley  two  large  schemes  to 
raise  the  underflow  of  that  river  for  use  in  irrigation  are  under- 
way and  promise  success. 

Ifincoln  County. 

The  total  area  is  5,483,320  acres,  most  of  it  fit  for  pasture  arid 
agricultural  purposes.  The  census  states  the  population  at  4,210 
persons,  but  this  may  well  be  increased  by  2,000  owing  to  a 


BY    THE    BUEEAU    OP    IMMIGRATION. 


large  immigration  that  has  come  in  for  the  purpose  of  mining 
and  farming.  The  county  is  well  watered  by  numerous  small 
streams  fed  by  springs  that  percolate  from  the  mountain  areas. 
The  Mescalero  Apache  reservation  is  within  this  county,  and  is 
one  of  the  best  watered  and  most  grassy  tracts  in  the  west.  The 
mountains  afford  plenty  of  good  timber.  The  pretty  little  town 
of  Lincoln  is  the  county  seat,  and  the  town  of  White  Oaks  is 
an  important  mining  camp. 

Mora  County. 

The  total  area  is  1,618,600  acres  and  1,200,000  acres  are 
arable  or  fit  for  pasture.  The  population  is  about  10,500  souls, 
who  are  engaged  in  cattle,  sheep  and  general  farming.  The 
principal  products  are  rye,  wheat,  barley,  corn,  oats  and  alfalfa. 
Apples  and  potatoes  will  grow  well  in  this  climate.  The  county 
is  especially  adapted  to  the  raising  of  horses.  There  are  over 
20,000  acres  in  annual  cultivation.  The  surface  elevation  ranges 
from  4,000  to  7,000  feet  above  sea  level,  and  the  mountain  ele- 
vations reach  the  height  of  nearly  13,000  feet.  The  Atchison, 
Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Kailroad  crosses  the  county.  Mora  is  the 
county  seat  and  is  situate  in  the  beautiful  Mora  valley. 
San  Miguel  County. 

The  total  area  of  this  county  is  4,122,000  acres,  of  which 
there  are  available  for  pasture,  timber  and  agriculture  3,000,000 
acres.  It  is  a  very  wealthy  county,  and  in  the  old  Spanish  an- 
nals is  known  as  the  "imperial  county  of  San  Miguel."  Las 
Vegas  is  the  county  seat.  The  total  population  according  to 
the  census  is  16,000  persons.  At  present  the  county  is  prin- 
cipally devoted  to  sheep  and  cattle  raising.  Farming,  lumber- 
ing and  fruit  raising  are  however  profitably  engaged  in.  The 
Canadian  and  Pecos  rivers  have  their  principal  sources  of  sup- 
ply in  this  county  and  constitute  its  drainage  channels.  Much 
land  could  be  placed  under  irrigation  here. 

Sierra  County. 

The  total  area  is  5,735,920  acres,  of  this  3,450,000  acres  are 
good  for  pasturage,  agriculture  or  timber  cutting.  Cattle  raising, 


36  NEW  MEXICO. 


agriculture  and  mining  principally  occupy  the  people.  In  this 
county  are  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hillsborough  the  true 
gold  fissure  veins  so  profitable  for  mining.  The  annual  out- 
put of  metal  is  very  large.  There  are  dozens  of  mining  camps 
in  this  county  and  all  are  very  rich.  At  Lake  Valley,  in  the 
Bridal  Chamber,  $3,500,000  were  taken  from  one  pocket  in 
almost  pure  silver.  Other  such  strikes  of  varying  richness  have 
been  made.  Untold  wealth  of  metal  exists  in  this  county.  Hills - 
borough  is  the  county  seat  and  Kingston  is  an  important  mining 
camp. 

Socorro  County. 

The  total  acreage  is  8,939,520  acres,  over  6,000,000  acres  are 
available  for  pasturage  and  agriculture.  It  is  one  of  the  best 
counties  in  New  Mexico  for  farming,  stock  raising,  horticulture 
or  mining.  The  population  is  10,875  persons.  The  county  seat 
is  Socorro,  where  very  important  ore  reduction  works  and 
smelters  are  located.  The  lands  of  the  county  are  divided  into 
the  bottom  lands  of  the  Kio  Grande,  where  irrigation  is  easy, 
and  the  uplands  or  mesas  especially  adapted  to  grazing,  and 
large  quantities  of  whose  soil  may  be  placed  under  irrigation 
by  high  line  ditches.  From  one-third  to  one  half  the  county  is 
covered  with  sparse  forests,  while  the  Black  Kauge  is  thickly 
timbered  with  good  merchantable  timber  of  yellow  and  white 
pine.  The  Pinon,  Datil,  Magdalena,  San  Francisco  mountains 
and  Mogollon  range  also  afford  wood  for  fuel,  and  in  some  in- 
stances good  lumber. 

Santa  Fe  County. 

Total  area  of  this  county  is  1,498,600  acres,  and  there  is 
available  out  of  this  area  about  975,000  acres  for  the  purpose 
of  pasturage  and  agriculture.  Santa  Fe,  the  county  seat,  is  the 
oldest  civilized  town  in  the  United  States  and  the  capital  of  New 
Mexico.  The  county's  population  is  about  15,000.  It  is  a  fine 
fruit  county,  and  the  next  two  years  promises  a  very  great  devel- 
opment of  irrigation.  One  splendid  reservoir  is  already  built  to 
supply  Santa  F6  with  water  for  domestic  purposes.  The  coal 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  37 

mines  near  Cerrillos  and  the  gold  placers  at  San  Pedro  and  on 
the  Ortiz  grant  are  justly  famous  for  their  richness  and  extent. 
In  deposits  of  coal,  silver,  lead,  copper  and  iron,  Santa  F6  county 
is  almost  without  rival.  All  it  needs  is  capital  to  develop  its 
riches.  The  Galisteo,  Nambe,  Pojoaque,  Tesuque  and  Rio 
Grande  furnish  water  for  irrigation,  and  it  is  the  purpose  of  the 
company  having  in  view  the  building  of  reservoirs  to  store  the 
waters  of  all  the  small  streams  and  place  it  on  upwards  of 
100,000  acres. 

San  Juan  County. 

The  total  area  of  this  county  is  3,542;000  acres,  of  which 
there  is  available  for  irrigation  250,000  acres.  It  lies  in  the 
northwestern  corner  of  New  Mexico,  and  is  one  of  the  best 
watered  counties  of  the  whole  arid  region.  The  immense  ruins 
of  Aztec  pueblos  and  irrigating  canals  would  indicate  that  a 
large  population  once  inhabited  these  valleys.  Aztec,  on  the 
Animas  river,  is  the  county  seat.  The  population  according  to 
the  census  is  1,890,  but  this  has  increased  to  nearly  3,500  per- 
sons. There  are  about  250  miles  of  irrigating  canals  in  the 
county,  nine  tenths  of  wjiich  are  owned  by  the  farmers.  The 
fruit  of  this  county  is  magnificent.  Agriculture  and  stock 
raising  are  the  principal  industries. 

Taos  County. 

Total  area  of  this  county  is  1,751,975  acres,  of  which  there 
is  available  for  agriculture,  pasture  and  timber  cutting  about 
950,000  acres.  The  wide  valleys  of  this  county  are  well  watered 
and  in  the  old  days,  before  railroads,  furnished  the  bulk  of  the 
wheat  raised  in  northern  New  Mexico.  It  is  a  garden  county, 
furnishing  good  grazing  and  agricultural  lands.  It  has  a  popu- 
lation of  10,841  persons.  Taos,  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  the 
Territory,  and  located  in  a  very  fertile  valley,  is  the  county  seat. 
There  are  splendid  mines  of  gold,  silver  and  mica  in  this  county. 
In  the  Taos  mountains,  during  the  past  year,  the  development 
has  been  wonderful.  A  new  town,  Amizett,  has  sprung  up  and 
miners  are  crowding  to  it  from  every  part  of  the  country.  It 


38  NEW  MEXICO. 


is  not  a  boom  camp,  but  one  based  on  good  mines  of  paying 
gold  and  silver  ores. 

(3 

Union  County. 

The  total  area  of  this  county  is  4,120,000  acres,  of  which  350,- 
000  acres  are  unsurveyed.  It  was  created  by  act  of  the  territorial 
legislature,  approved  February  27,  1893,  and  installed  its  first 
officers  "January  1,  1894.  Three-fourths  of  the  county  are 
arable,  but  the  amount  of  water  available  for  irrigation  is  un- 
known. It  is  safe  to  say,  however,  that  from  all  sources  about 
100,000  acres  will  be  put  under  ditch.  The  county  is  traversed 
diagonally  by  the  Texas,  Fort  Worth  &  Gulf  Railroad.  The 
principal  industries  are  stock  and  sheep  raising.  Clayton,  its 
county  seat,  is  a  thriving  town.  Several  field  parties  are  exam- 
ining the  country  with  a  view  to  locate  irrigation  works.  The 
population  is  estimated  at  4,126  persons. 

Valencia  County. 

The  total  available  acreage  of  timber,  grazing  and  agricultu- 
ral land  in  this  county  is  2,900,000  acres.  The  total  area  is 
5,621,760  acres.  This  county  is  crossed  by  the  Rio  Grande  river. 
It  is  famous  for  grape  and  wine  culture.  Peaches  are  also  largely 
raised,  but  cattle  and  sheep  growing  are  important  industries. 
Fine  wheat  is  amongst  its  principal  products,  and  all  kinds  of 
vegetables  do  well.  The  Zuni  mountains  afford  an  almost  un- 
limited supply  of  lumber.  Los  Lunas  is  the  county  seat,  and  the 
population  is  13,876  people. 

School  Systems. 

New  Mexico  has  a  very  fine  public  school  system,  affording 
even  in  the  most  sparsely  settled  regions,  ample  facilities  for 
education. 

The  public  schools  are  supported  by  an  ample  revenue  made 
up  of  a  poll  tax  of  $1.00  on  each  voter,  a  territorial  tax  of  three 
miles  on  the  dollar,  the  income  incident  to  liquor  and  gambling 
licenses  and  the  proceeds  of  fines.  The  total  enrollment  of 
pupils  in  the  public  schools  of  the  Territory  was  23,708,  and 


The  Agricultural  College  at  L'as  Cruces. 


40  NEW  MEXICO. 


the  average  daily  attendance  for  the  last  year  was  15,832.  In 
the  higher  branches  of  education  the  Territory  supports  the 
University  at  Albuquerque,  the  School  of  Mines  at  Socorro, 
the  Agricultural  College  at  Las  Cruces,  normal  schools  at  Las 
Vegas  and  Silver  City,  and  an  orphan  asylum  at  Santa  Fe\ 
The  Catholics  through  the  Christian  Brothers  and  the  Sisters 
of  Loretto  and  Mercy  have  several  fine  schools  and  colleges  with 
about  2,500  scholars.  The  Presbyterian  missions,  the  Methodist 
schools  and  the  New  West  Educational  missions  have  an  average 
daily  attendance  of  4,000  scholars.  When  we  also  consider  the 
great  number  of  Catholic  parochial  schools  it  will  easily  be  seen 
that  New  Mexico  offers  better  opportunity  for  education  and  has 
a  greater  average  of  scholars  in  daily  attendance  than  many 
richer  and  more  populous  communities. 

The  Territory  contains  three  Indian  schools,  supported  wholly 
by  the  U.  S.  government/ and  about  thirty  schools  at  the  dif- 
ferent Indian  towns  supported  in  part  by  the  United  States  and 
in  part  by  religious  denominations. 

Area  and  Boundaries. 

New  Mexico  has  an  average  breadth  of  325  miles;  length  of 
eastern  boundary,  345  miles;  length  of  western  boundary,  390 
miles,  the  whole  covering  an  area  of  122,444  square  miles.  By 
geographical  divisions,  it  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  State 
of  Colorado,  on  the  east  by  Oklahoma  and  the  State  of  Texas, 
on  the  south  by  the  State  of  Texas  and  the  Mexican  States  of 
Chihuahua  and  Sonora,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Territory  of 
Arizona. 

Of  the  122,444  square  miles,  or  78,374,363  acres,  there  are: 

Acres. 
*Estimated  land  grants  (confirmed  and  unconfirmed) .  19,180,884 

A.  &  P.  Railroad  grant 2,349,880 

Indian  reservations 2,832,205 

Military  reserves 134,952 

Government  land  entered..  .  2,908,932 


Total  27,406,853 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  41 

This  leaves  an  available  area  of  51,376,442  acres  of  govern- 
ment land  that  is  obtainable  under  the  land  laws  of  the  United 
States,  homestead,  mineral  and  otherwise. 

The  Territory  is  divided  into  four  land  office  districts: 

1.  SANTA  FE  DISTRICT — Office  at  Santa  Fe",  comprising  the 
country  bounded  on  the  west  by  Arizona,  on  the  north  by  Colo- 
rado, on  the  south  by  the  base  line  of  the  Territory,  on  the  east 
by  the  range  line  between  ranges  24  and  25  east  of  the  prin- 
cipal meridian  of  New  Mexico. 

2.  CLAYTON   DISTRICT — Office  at  Clayton,   Union  county, 
comprising  the  remaining  portion  of  the  Territory  north  of  the 
base  line  and  from  the  above  range  line  east  to  the  boundary 
of  the  Territory,  bounded  on  the  north  by  Colorado  and  on  the 
east  by  the  Texas  Panhandle. 

3.  LAS  CRUCES  DISTRICT — Office  at  Las  Cruces,  Dona  Ana 
county,  comprising  the  country  bounded  on  the  north  by  the 
base  line,  on  the  west  by  Arizona,  on  the  south  by  Mexico  and 
Texas  to  the  range  line  between  ranges  14  and  15  east,  on  the 
east  by  the  old  western  boundary  line  of  Lincoln  county. 

•  4.  EOSWELL  DISTRICT — Office  at  Eoswell,  Chaves  county, 
comprising  the  remaining  eastern  portion  of  the  Territory  south 
of  the  base  line,  and  bounded  on  the  east  and  south  by  the  State 
of  Texas. 


IRRIGATION. 


The  progress  of  American  irrigation  during  the  last  twelve 
years  has  been  very  great,  but  it  has  been  along  special  lines. 
Its  general  possibilities  are  almost  unknown  in  quantity.  As 
yet  only  areas  favorably  located  for  speculation  or  the  ad- 
vancement of  individual  ideas  of  the  art  have  been  reclaimed. 
Specialists  with  rooted  convictions  and  enthusiasts  of  bounding 
faith  and  belief  clash  as  to  the  ultimate  amount  of  land  avail- 
able for  reclamation,  the  sources  of  water  supply  and  how  the 
distributing  works  should  be  constructed.  The  most  conservative 
observers  hesitate  to  announce  final  opinions  on  these  subjects. 
The  history  of  agriculture  and  the  lesson  of  the  immediate  past 
give  such  men  food  for  thought.  The  fairest  way  to  state  the 
possibilities  of  reclamation  in  the  West  is  that  it  is  limited  by 
the  ingenuity  and  labor  of  man.  Water  may  be  developed  in 
some  way  on  more  land  than  is  DOW  supposed. 

Irrigation  in  the  Past. 

If  we  look  back  to  the  early  ages  we  find  the  great  cities  of 
Babylon,  Tyre,  Carthage,  and  later  the  splendor  of  the  Maho- 
medan  civilization,  all  desert  born.  Their  grandeur  and  wealth 
were  drawn  from  the  canals  and  ditches  that  fertilized  the  lands 
surrounding  them.  To-day  the  greatest  monuments  of  the 
people  who  reared  those  fabulous  trade  centers  are  their  ruined 
works  fashioned  for  the  preservation  and  distribution  of  the 
water.  Of  the  great  city  of  Carthage  not  a  stone  remains,  but 
the  magnificent  aqueduct  that  supplied  her  water  still  exists  and 
waters  the  city  of  Tunis. 

Irrigated  Cultivation  Sure  as  Manufactures. 

There  is  a  great  reason  for  this.  Given  four  months  of 
constant  sunshine  and  water  at  the  right  time  and  the  exact  and 


THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


best  conditions  exist  for  the  manufacture  of  food.  With  such 
conditions  there  is  no  more  chance  of  a  farmer  losing  his  crop 
than  there  is  of  the  manufacture  losing  a  lot  of  cloth  after  the 
material  has  actually  entered  the  loom.  If  a  constant  supply  of 
food  is  assured  a  community,  its  success  in  the  other  avocations 
of  life  is  a  certainty.  For  this  reason  the  monuments  of  antiquity 
are  often  its  water  works.  They  were  the  main  stay  of  the 
people  and  most  carefully  looked  after.  They  assured  a  con- 


Irrigated  Lands  and  Farm  Reservoir. 

stant  food  supply,  and  upon  this  foundation  the  olden  nations 
builded  their  greatness. 

Little  Practiced  by  English  Speaking  People. 

Among  the  English  speaking  nations  the  art  of  irrigation  has 
been  almost  entirely  neglected.  In  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
an  almost  too  copious  rainfall  has  operated  against  its  practice, 
but  even  in  these  countries  the  scientific  farmer  has  long  ago 
realized  its  importance.  Near  Edinburg  and  other  parts  of  the 


44  NEW  MEXICO. 


United  Kingdom  there  are  "water  meadows"  as  they  are  called, 
whose  rental  is  greatly  increased.  In  India,  England  ruthlessly 
destroyed  the  best  system  of  modern  irrigation,  and  it  was  only 
when  the  appalling  famine  of  the  early  '70s  confronted  the  Indian 
Empire,  that  serious  attention  was  directed  to  the  restoration  of 
the  great  canals  and  reservoirs.  In  India  and  Egypt  the  art  is 
being  now  practically  pursued,  and  millions  of  pounds,  ten  years 
of  labor  and  the  talent  of  the  best  English  engineers  have  been 
expended  to  restore  in  India  a  small  part  of  the  value  so  ruth- 
lessly wasted  during  the  conquest. 

In  Australia  until  recently,  when  Mr.  Alfred  Deakin  aroused 
attention  to  the  advantages  of  the  island  continent  as  an  irri- 
gated domain,  little  had  been  done.  In  the  Eastern  United 
States  the  fortuitous  circumstances  of  deep  friable  soil  and 
copious  rainfall  did  not  compel  an  interest  in  it.  The  pioneers 
who  swept  over  the  Alleghaneys  found  easy  way  for  their  plough- 
shares in  the  rich  prairie  loam,  and  they  were  satisfied  with  the 
abundance  of  the  uncertain  harvest.  It  was  not  then  necessary 
to  chide  nature  or  to  supplement  her  efforts,  and  it  was  not 
until  1870,  when  the  land  hungry  pioneer  had  arrived  at  the 
foot  of  the  Kockies  that  the  importance  of  immigration  began 
to  dawn  on  the  minds  of  the  Americans.  Horace  Greeley,  in 
the  New  York  Tribune,  was  the  first  great  American  prophet  of 
irrigation  and  the  new  agriculture.  He  took  up  the  scheme  of 
one  of  his  staff  writers,  N.  C.  Meeker,  and  encouraged  the  plan- 
tation of  Union  Colony,  on  the  Cache  le  Poudre  River,  Colorado. 
Mr.  Meeker  commanded  this  colony  and  the  town  built  by  it  was 
named  Greeley. 

A  First  Attempt— Failure  and  Success. 

At  this  date  very  little  was  known  of  the  state  of  the  art.  The 
purpose  was  to  place  60,000  acres  of  land  under  ditch  with 
sufficient  water  during  the  first  season.  Edwin  S.  Nettleton  was 
employed  as  the  civil  engineer  to  lay  out  the  necessary  works. 
Two  ditches  were  built,  the  largest  only  ten  feet  at  bottom  and 
carrying  only  three  and  a  half  feet  of  water.  This  also  tapered 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  45 

in  width  to  five  feet  at  the  further  end.  Another  small  town 
ditch  was  also  constructed,  and  when  the  two  were  full  of  water 
they  irrigated  barely  2,000  acres  instead  of  somewhere  in  the 
neighborhood  of  60,000.  The  colonists,  however,  turned  in  and 
after  a  series  of  years  corrected  all  the  original  mistakes  of 
construction  or  plan  and  are  now  in  a  most  flourishing  condition. 
In  1891  a  careful  examination  of  the  enterprise  was  made  by 
agents  from  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture.  This  was 
done  under  the  direction  of  Col.  Richard  J.  Hinton,  special 
agent  of  the  Irrigation  Inquiry.  This  report  contains  much 
data  of  general  interest  in  the  way  of  the  elements  of  cost,  the 
causes  of  their  failures  and  of  their  subsequent  successes.  An 
extract  from  it  will  be  valuable  here. 

"The  history  of  Number  2  Ditch  is  the  only  part  of  the  story 
of  Greeley  colony  that  is  important  in  this  report.  It  takes  its 
water  out  of  the  Cache  le  Poudre,  seventeen  miles  west  of 
Greeley.  The  first  work  was  done  ori  it  in  the  fall  of  1870  and 
the  spring  of  1871,  but  it  was  then  only  a  small  affair.  As 
originally  constructed  it  was  twenty-six  miles  long,  with  a  fall 
of  three  to  four  feet  per  mile,  ten  feet  wide  on  the  bottom  for 
the  first  five  miles,  nine  feet  wide  for  the  second  five  miles  and 
diminished  in  the  same  proportion  throughout  its  length.  It 
carried  about  two  and  a  half  feet  of  water.  The  cost  amounted 
to  $27,000,  and  only  about  2,000  acres  were  irrigated  partially. 
The  situation  of  the  colony  at  the  close  of  1891  was  very  cri- 
tical. Instead  of  four  ditches  and  an  irrigated  area  of  60,000 
acres  the  farmers  were  confined.to  about  2,000  acres  of  partially 
irrigated  land.  At  this  time  besides  Number  2,  Number  3,  a 
small  ditch,  furnished  a  little  water.  Water  rights  in  Number 
2  had  been  sold  for  320  80-acre  tracts.  To  meet  the  difficulty 
two  assessments,  amounting  to  thirty-five  cents  an  acre  in  all, 
were  levied  on  the  lands  to  be  watered  by  Number  2,  which 
realized  about  $7,960.  This  sum  was  paid  by  the  farmers  them- 
selves, independent  of  the  liability  of  the  colony  organization. 
The  colony,  out  of  the  funds  received  from  the  sale  of  its  mem- 
bership certificates,  made  up  the  balance  of  the  cost  of  the  first 
enlargement.  This  work  was  completed  before  the  close  of 
1872.  There  are  no  records  from  which  to  ascertain  the  exact 
cost  of  this  enlargement;  but  assuming  that  it  cost  as  much  as 
either  of  the  other  two  subsequent  enlargements,  it  must  have 


46  NEW  MEXICO. 


been  in  the  neighborhood  of  $20,000.  In  188  <  the  canal  was 
enlarged  for  the  third  and  last  time,  and  from  that  time  forward 
it  has  furnished  sufficient  water  for  all  the  water  rights  or  320 
cubic  feet  per  second. 

"In  1878  the  organization  known  as  the  Union  Colony  of 
Colorado  turned  over  all  the  rights  in  the  canal  to  the  farmers 
under  it,  who  organized  and  incorporated  as  the  Cache  Le 
Poudre  Irrigation  Company,  and  since  that  date  the  farmers 
have  managed  the  canal  by  a  board  of  directors.  The  question 
of  the  cost  of  Number  2  ditch  is  much  mooted,  and  it  is  only 
by  analysis  that  the  same  can  be  obtained.  Union  Colony  ex- 
pended the  first  cost,  $27,000,  out  of  the  colony  funds.  To 
provide  for  the  first  enlargement  the  farmers  assessed  themselves 
thirty-five  cents  per  acre.  This  being  insufficient,  Union  Colony 
as  such,  contributed  $12,040  additional,  making  in  all  for  that 
enlargement  $20,000.  The  colony  thus  paid  for  the  ditch  be- 
fore its  interest  ceased  $39,040.  The  minutes  of  the  assessment 
since  1885,  the  earliest  record  in  the  office  of  the  Cache  le 
Poudre  Irrigation  Company,  are  as  follows: 


Year. 


for  water 


rights  (80-acres). 


Total  amount. 


1885 . . 
1886 . . 
1887  . 
1888 . . 
1889.. 
1890.. 
1891.. 


$20  00 $   6,400 

14  00 I  4,480 

12  00 i  3,840 

9  00 2,880 

900 2,880 

16  00  j  0,120 

16  00..  5,120 


Total  for  seven  years ; |  $  30,720 

"During  the  seven  years  mentioned  this  would  be  an  average 
annual  assessment  of  $13.72  per  water  right  for  eighty  acres, 
or  seventeen  cents  one  and  one-half  mills  per  acre.  The  offi- 
cers of  the  present  company,'  the  secretary  of  the  colony,  Henry 
T.  West,  and  all  the  original  colonists  agree  that  the  expenses 
for  the  thirteen  years  previous  to  1885  would  average  no  higher. 
Therefore,  up  to  1885  the  cost  of  the  ditch  to  the  farmers  would 
be  $59,075.20;  cost  to  colony  organization  $30,040;  cost  of 
maintenance  since  1885  of  $30,720,  which  would  make  a  total 
cost  of  $126,835.20.  The  Greeley  Ditch  No.  2  has  therefore  cost 
the  owner  of  each  eighty  acre  water  right  during  twenty  years 
a  total  of  $386.36,  or  $3.94  per  acre."— PR  138-9  Pat.  1  He- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


47 


port  on  Irrigation  and  the  Cultivation  of  the  Soil  Thereby,  by 
Richard  J.  Hinton,  Agricultural  Department. 

About  320  families  own  farms  under  this  ditch,  and  at  the. 
small  cost  given  above  have  brought  them  to  such  perfection 
for  potato  cereal  and  alfalfa  production  that  they  are  to-day 
probably  the  dearest  of  their  kind  in  the  United  States.  No 
land  is  for  sale  under  this  ditch.  The  last  sale  made  was  at  the 
rate  of  $100  per  acre,  and  in  addition  to  this  the  purchaser  paid 
$2,200  for  an' eighty  acre  water  right. 

The  above  will  pay  the 
prospective  immigrant  to 
peruse  and  study.  New 
Mexico  offers  to  colonies 
all  the  advantages  set  forth. 
A  party  of  100  families 
and  upwards  can  make  as 
good  if  not  better  arrange- 
ments in  New  Mexico. 

They  will  really  be  at 
less  expenses,  as  any  relia- 
ble engineer  can  now  lay 
out  a  ditch  that  will  carry 
the  necessary  water  with- 
out any  danger  of  a  false 
experiment. 

The  only  other  irrigation 
systems  extant  in  the  Unit- 

,,!•,.  ,1  A   New  Mexico  Grape  Vine  Four  Years  old. 

ed  States  at  this  time,  that 

is  in  1870,  Were  around   Salt  Lake  City  by  the  Mormons,  and 

those  of  the  Mexicans  and  New  Mexicans  in  the  almost  unknown 

southwest. 

General  features  and  Statistics. 

The  arid  area  of  the  United  States  may  be  reckoned  from  the 
100th  western  meridian  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  from  the 
British  to  the  Mexican  boundary  lires,  or  allowing  for  local 
areas  of  abundant  rainfall,  a  block  of  over  1,000,000,000  acres. 


48  NEW  MEXICO. 


It  is  necessary  for  a  complete  industrial  use  of  land  that  it  should 
have  a  constant  annual  rainfall  of  twenty-eight  inches.  The 
,arid  region  of  the  United  States  ranges  from  twenty  inches 
downward.  If  it  were  possible  to  have  a  total  rainfall  of  sixteen 
inches  confined  to  the  growing  and  ripening  season,  crops  could 
be  raised  with  certainty.  The  processes  of  nature,  however,  do 
not  perm  it  this;  therefore,  man  by  the  preservation  and  distribu- 
tion of  the  rainfall  must  correct  nature's  inequalities.  In  irri- 
gation water  is  applied  without  waste  to  the  growing  and  ripen- 
ing crop  in  such  quantity  and  at  just  the  proper  time  to  insure 
production.  Based  on  th^se  conditions,  according  to  the  figures 

of  the  U.  S.  Agri- 
cultural Department, 
there  were  in  1891, 
8,026,526  acres  un- 
der cultivation  by  ir- 
rigation. 

The  advantages  of 
this  system  of  farm- 
ing are  so  manifest, 
that  the  unknown  au- 
thor of  the  "Vestiges 
of  Civilization"  predicted  many  years  ago  that  011  the  slopes  of 
the  Sierras  and  Kockies  would  one  day  flourish  the  most  potent 
and  civilized  race  the  world  ever  knew.  This  prophecy  has  been 
in  part  realized.  Nowhere  on  earth  to-day  does  man  live  in 
more  ease  and  comfort  than  in  parts  of  this  vast  region.  Wher- 
ever irrigation  has  reached  a  high  degree  of  development  life 
is  in  its  highest  sense  worth  living.  Bowering  orchards  and 
wavy  fields  contrast  in  the  high  lights  and  shadows  with  the 
blue  mountains.  This  plenty  and  prosperity  is  known  not  to 
be  the  fortunate  accident  of  a  good  season ;  but,  until  the  moun- 
tain streams  run  dry,  it  is  assured  that  crop  will  follow  crop  as 
certainly  as  the  spring,  summer  and  autumn  return.  The  farmer 
has  no  fear  of  devastating  and  mud  making  floods  in  the  spring 
to  interfere  with  his  ploughing  and  planting ;  he  is  not  mc-iiaced 


BY    THE    BUIIEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION. 


with  hot,  drying  winds  in  summer;  drought  has  no  terrors  for 
him  ;  nor  does  he  fear  that  his  labors  will  be  fruitless.  A  few 
simple  rules  and  his  experience  guide  him  in  the  spring,  his 
soil  is  thoroughly  wetted  from  his  ditches,  care  being  taken  that 
the  water  does  not  course  too  freely  over  the  land  so  as  to  wash 
or  cut  it.  Throughout  the  rest  of  the  season  the  need  of  further 
irrigation  is  judged  by  examining  the  top  soil.  If  about  four 
to  eight  inches  from  the  surface,  according  to  the  crop,  it  be- 
comes so  dry  that  it  will  not  pack  in  the  hand,  more  water  is 
applied.  In  the  fall  after  harvest,  he  gives  the  land  another 
thorough  soaking  before  allowing  it  to  lie  fallow  for  the  winter. 
This  makes  it  pure  and  sweet  for  the  next  crop  and  the  certain 
sunshine  will  do  the  rest. 

A  Paradise  for  the  Industrious. 

One  thing,  however,  must  not  be  forgotten.  An  irrigated 
farm  must  be  intensely  cultivated.  While  this  region  may  be 
a  paradise  for  the  industrious  and  thrifty,  it  is  the  reverse  for 
the  makeshift  and  lazy  farmer.  A  good  irrigator  must  be  con- 
stantly alert  to  seize  all  the  advantages  of  science.  His  efforts 
must  not  only  be  exerted  for  himself,  but  for  the  community. 
He  is  not  a  segregated  unit  of  the  human  race,  but  part  of  a 
community  whose  interests  are  all  interwoven.  He  must  there- 
fore be  a  neighborly,  forbearing  man,  for  the  very  success  of  his 
venture  requires  that  each  member  of  the  colony,  or  each  farmer 
under  the  ditch  from  which  he  draws  his  water,  shall  co-operate 
for  mutual  advantage.  ' 

The  first  cost  of  the  main  supply  canal  must  be  borne  either 
by  the  community  or  by  a  capitalized  corporation,  and  its  ulti- 
mate success  depends  upon  how  thoroughly  those  who  use  the 
waters  co-operate  for  the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest  number. 
If  the  immigrant  assure  himself  that  an  irrigating  community 
is  financially  prosperous  he  need  ask  no  questions  as  to  its 
morale.  The  necessities  of  this  situation  and  environment  com- 
pel individual  good  conduct  and  feeling. 


50  NEW  MEXICO. 


No  Isolation  or  Loneliness. 

The  irrigating  comrn  unity  has  also  another  advantage  in  a 
new  country  in  that  the  terrible  isolation  characteristic  of  the 
settlement  of  the  States  as  far  West  as  Kansas  is  a  thing  of  the 
past.  Irrigate rs  live  in  compact  communities  011  small  farms. 
Their  profits  are  large  and  they  enjoy  from  the  start  greater 
luxury  and  companionship  than  their  brethern  of  the  East.  Pio- 
neer farm  life  loses  the  lonely  terror  that  prevailed  during  the 
early  days,  and  women  especially  need  fear  none  of  the  hard- 
ships so  often  and  so  graphically  described.  The  community 
itself  may  be  isolated,  but  the  individual  never.  Modern  science 
is  everywhere  pressed  into  service.  The  long  lines  of  the  main 
or  supply  canal  necessitate  the  use  of  the  telephone,  and  the 
farmer  quickly  adapts  it  to  his  private  needs,  so  that,  without 
leaving  his  home,  he  or  his  family  may  communicate  with  every 
part  of  his  district  or  neighborhood.  Comfortable  as  this  may 
be,  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  irrigation  is  not  farming  made 
easy.  It  is  farming  made  sure.  It  does  .not  agree  with  the 
constitution  of  a  drone. 

Recent  Advances. 

The  reader  must  remember  that  the  foregoing  is  written  about 
a  region  that  twelve  years  ago  was  declared  unfit  for  cultivation 
or  tree  planting  and  wholly  irreclaimable ;  indeed  that  most  of 
it  was  worthless  except  to  raise  scraggy  sheep  and  the  broad 
horned  steer.  The  best  answer  to  this  is  that  works  are  projected 
to-day  to  reclaim  25,000,000  acres.  More  than  100,000,000 
shade  trees  alone  have  been  planted  and  are  growing  since  the 
date  of  this  dictum.  The  foundation  and  building  up  of  the 
commonwealths  of  the  arid  region  detail  a  most  romantic  story. 
First,  Nature  and  then  the  Indian,  only  less  pitiless,  had  to  be 
subdued;  but  civilization  armed  with  steam  and  electricity  has 
circumscribed  the  desert,  that  in  Fremont's  time  was  supposed 
to  stretch  from  the  Missouri  to  the  Pacific,  to  a  few  small  tracts 
like  Death's  valley.  Irrigation  forces  a  common  and  combined 
effort  of  communities  and  not  of  individuals.  Capital  has  been 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  51 

wielded  with  all  its  concentrated  power,  until  the  Mojave  and 
kindred  wastes  have  yielded  tributes  of  corn  and  wine  to  the 
dominion  of  man.  No  one,  well  informed,  now  dares  venture 
his  reputation  in  the  assertion  that  any  particular  area  is  hope- 
lessly sterile  or  arid.  Where  the  pioneer  has  gone  and  died,  the 
engineer  follows,  "opens  rivers  in  high  places,1'  science  smiles 
and  the  desert  blooms.  A  new  condition  has  entered  into  Ameri- 
can life.  The  West,  so  little  known,  so  much  disfigured  in 
Eastern  literature,  now  teaches  the  farmers  of  the  older  States 
the  art  of  crop  manufacture.  The  averages  are  always  higher 
than  in  the  East. 

Advantages  of  New  Mexico. 

To  swell  the  record  of  grand  success  New  Mexico  presents 
the  following  from  the  pen  of  the  national  authority  on  irriga- 
tion, Eichard  J.  Hinton: 

"Owing  to  many  circumstances  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico 
has  not  received  the  attention  it  deserves  from  those  who  have 
been  seeking  farming  and  fruit  raising  locations  in  the  far  West. 
New  Mexico  will  average  for  the  rainy  season  a  precipitation  of 
less  than  eleven  inches.  Over  nine  inches  must  therefore  be 
supplied  to  insure  the  raising  of  crops.  The  New  Mexican  seg- 
ment of  the  Rio  Grande  valley,  especially  in  its  southern  portion, 
is  almost  an  ideal  climate  for  grape  growing.  Along  its  course 
the  Indian  Pueblos  and  the  old  Mexican  hamlets  mark  with 
foliage,  fruit,  grain  and  garden,  its  ability  to  repay  the  fruit 
grower  and  the  husbandman.  The  Mesilla  valley,  one  of  the 
oldest  settled  areas,  embracing  about  300  square  miles  of  rich 
alluvial  soil,  has  been  a  vine  growing,  wine  making  country  for 
the  past  two  hundred  years.  Apple  and  pear  orchards  were  not 
planted,  however,  until  1867.  There  are  now  seventy  fine  vari- 
eties, bearing  steadily  each  year." 

Add  to  the  above  the  splendid  fruit  farms  of  the  Pecos  valley, 
the  beautiful  orchards  of  the  San  Juan  county,  the  Mimbres 
valley,  the  Canadian,  and  the  garden  like  valleys  of  Taos,  Mora, 
San  Miguel,  Santa  Fe"  and  Eio  Arriba,  in  fact  all  New  Mexico, 
wherever  water  can  be  developed,  and  the  promise  of  the  future 
is  unsurpassed. 


52  NEW  MEXICO. 


Arable  and  Irrigable  Acreage. 

In  this  connection  the  following  statistics  of  land  in  New 
Mexico  will  be  valuable: 

Total  area  in  acres : 77,374,363 

Irrigable  from  water  in  sight 2,064,455 

Agricultural  and  possibly  irrigable  by  storage 38,225,267 

In  explanation  of  the  above  it  may  be  stated  that  all  of  New 
Mexico,  except  the  mountain  areas,  is  arable.  The  soil  is  deep 
and  free  from  stones.  Water  is  the  one  thing  necessary  to  make 
it  fertile.  If  an  accounting  is  taken  of  the  average  rainfall  of 
the  plains  and  valley  areas  and  the  heavy  snows  and  rains  of  the 
mountains,  a  sufficient  supply  is  assured  for  all  the  available  land. 
This  will  come  about  with  the  future.  At  present  there  is  suf- 
ficient land  under  good  serviceable  canals  to  supply  all  the 
immigration  that  can  reasonably  be  hoped  for. 

For  the  present  it  may  be  said  that  the  creek  and  river  bottom 
lands  of  New  Mexico  afford  about  2,000,000  acres  of  easily  irri- 
gated land,  of  which  about  800,000  is  actually  under  ditch. 
This  does  not  include  what  is  available  if  large  storage  schemes 
are  resorted  to. 

Irrigation  is  not  a  costly  art.  The  official  figures  given  before 
on  the  Groeley  ditch,  show  what  may  be  done  by  colonies.  Capi- 
talized corporations  may  expect  a  proportionate  return.  Accord- 
ing to  the  official  figures  of  the  last  census,  irrigation  in  New 
Mexico  will  cost  and  return  values,  as  follows: 

Construction  of  main  canals,  laterals,  etc 8  5  58  per  acre. 

A  verage  annual  rental 1  54  per  acre. 

Average  cost,  clearing,  fencing  ami  first  cost  of 

cultivation 11  71  per  acre. 

Value  of  water  right 18  30  per  acre. 

Increase  in  value  in  irrigated  land  per  acre £      50  5S 

Cost  per  mile  of  ditches  live  feet  wide 310  00 

Cost  per  mile  of  ditches  ten  feet  wide 581  00 

Cost  per  mile  of  ditches  fifty  feet  wide fi,(5fiO  00 

Average  size  of  an  irrigated  farm  thirty  acres. 

What  an  Irrigated  Farm  Will  Yield. 

These  are  not  isolated  instances,  but  the  average  of  all  the 
figures  of  cost  and  value  gathered  by  the  census  office  for 
the  Territory.  A  farm  devoted  to  roots,  such  as  potatoes,  etc., 


54  NEW  MEXICO. 


and  cereal  and  forage  crops,  will  yield  annually  over  $50  per 
acre ;  while  a  bearing  orchard  or  vineyard  will  yield  gross  from 
$150  to  $800  annually  according  to  the  intensity  and  thorough- 
ness of  culture.  Accurate  statistics  will  be  presented  in  this 
regard  as  to  the  several  counties.  From  ten  to  thirty  acres  of 
fruit  land  carefully  cultivated  will  comfortable  support  any 
family  and  leave  leisure  for  its  enjoyment.  Thirty  to  eighty 
acres  of  ordinary  farm  land  is  also  sufficient.  Broad  acreage  is 
not  what  tells  in  irrigation,  but  the  amount  of  intelligent  effort 
that  is  used  in  assisting  the  crop,  is  what  swells  the  profit.  Of 
course  where  a  farmer  gives  similar  attention  to  a  large  area  his 
profit  will  be  proportionately  greater.  The  small  farm  is,  how- 
ever, always  a  sure  and  large  profit  payer. 

Water  as  a  Fertilizer. 

Another  and  very  important  factor  of  irrigation  is  that  it  is 
the  best  means  of  fertilizing  the  land.  M.  J.  Charpentier  de 
Cosigny,  the  great  French  agricultural  writer  and  publicist,  lays 
it  down  as  an  axiom  that  water  in  a  natural  state  never  exists 
in  perfect  purity.  The  substances  most  common  and  abundant 
in  water  are  lime,  magnesia,  aluminium,  oxide  of  iron,  generally 
mixed  with  silex  "and  carbonic  and  other  acids,  most  of  these 
substances  are  found  in  the  tissues  of  vegetables  and  also  in 
their  ashes.  Irrigation  is  therefore  not  only  beneficial,  as  it 
supplies  moisture,  but  it  introduces  direct  to  the  plant  roots 
under  the  most  favorable  circumstances  and  conditions  of  assimi- 
lation, various  minerals  and  substances  which  compose  the  rocks 
and  soil  over  or  through  which  it  has  passed.  Usually  the 
amount  of  matter  supplied  the  tissue  of  the  plants  is  in  excess  of 
their  needs,  and  for  this  reason  an  irrigated  soil  never  wears  out. 
According  to  the  experiments  of  Mr.  Sainte-Claire  Deville  it  is 
shown,  that  one  hectare  of  land  (2.47  acres)  irrigated  with  one 
liter  of  water  per  second,  (2,113  American  pints),  receives  as 
much  potash,  a  well  known  fertilizer,  as  woul:l  be  supplied  by 
87,000  kilograms  of  well  rotted  stable  manure.  A  kilogram  is 
somewhat  over  two  pounds  of  ordinary  weight. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  55 

Another  important  point  is  that  nitrogen,  the  most  important 
element  of  most  plant  life,  is  supplied  only  through  the  air  and 
the  atmospheric  gases  of  water.  Kain  water,  although  the  purest 
of  natural  waters,  contains  a  high  per  cent  of  this  important  nitric 
or  azotic  acid.  The  drainage  of  our  forest  covered  water  sheds 
enormously  exceeds  it,  however,  in  this  valuable  fertilizer. 
Nitrogen  has  a  natural  affinity  for  water  and  is  readily  absorbed 
by  it.  Besides  this  the  oxygen  of  water  is  the  element  that 
burns  away  the  insoluble  parts  of  the  soil  and  converts  them 
into  humus,  which  is  soluble  and  easily  assimilated  by  the  plant 
roots.  This  is  the  principal  factor  in  the  complex  process  by 
which  sap  is  prepared  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth. 

In  the  L,and  of  Sunshine. 

Irrigation  in  an  arid  country  has  another  advantage.  It  is  a 
well  known  fact  that  dark,  cloudy  days  retard  vegetable  growth, 
and  that  fruit  grown  during  a  damp,  gloomy  season  loses  its 
luscious  and  sugary  quality.  There  is  no  such  trouble  in  New 
Mexico.  The  statistics  taken  from  the  records  of  the  weather 
office  at  Santa  Fe  show  that  from  January  1,  1893,  to  August 
15,  1893,  the  last  date  at  which  such  information  was  available 
for  insertion  herein,  there  were  145  days  of  absolute  sunshine, 
b*4  fair  days  and  only  19  cloudy  days.  Even  of  the  19  days 
noted  as  cloudy,  not  a  single  one  was  wholly  dark.  The  sun 
shown  for  some  time  every  day.  In  other  words,  during  the 
first  228  days  of  1893,  there  were  only  19  days  on  which  the 
conditions  for  the  increase  of  plant  life  were  not  as  perfect  as 
could  possibly  be  expected.  Water  was  attainable  during  all  of 
this  time,  and  therefore  the  exact  conditions  obtained  for  food 
manufacture.  New  Mexico  is  a  huge  laboratory  for  this  purpose. 
The  predominance  of  sunshine  was  during  the  growing  and 
ripening  mouths.  The  cloudy  days  also  generally  represent  the 
dates  of  timely  showers,  insufficient  of  themselves  to  support 
vegetation,  but  of  inestimable  value  .in  washing  the  foliage  of 
the  crops  and  opening  the  pores  of  leaf  and  fruit  to  the  healthy 
influences  of  light  and  heat. 


56  NEW  MEXICO. 


Sources  of  Water  Supply. 

It  may  be  here  asked  if  there  is  so  much  sunshine,  from  whence 
does  the  water  come  to  irrigate?  The  valleys  of  New  Mexico 
are  all  well  sheltered.  The  summer  precipitation  thereon  is  the 
only  rainfall  that  is  important.  It  averages  about  eleven  inches 
per  year.  The  water  supply  is  drawn  from  the  rivers  filled 
by  the  slowly  melting  snows  of  the  high  mountain  chains  that 
everywhere  inclose  the  irrigable  land.  The  snow  usually  lies 
from  eight  to  fourteen  feet  on  the  level,-  and  the  deep  gulches 
and  canons  are  filled  with  packed  and  frozen  masses  hundreds 
of  feet  deep.  This  melts  slowly  during  the  irrigating  months 
and  keeps  up  the  supply  of  water. 

General  Methods  of  Irrigation. 

On  the  supposition  that  some  persons  may  be  ignorant  of  the 
general  process  of  irrigation,  a  short  description  will  be  permis- 
sible. The  valleys  of  Western  rivers  and  streams  have  an 
average  direct  slope  of  about  ten  feet  per  mile  towards  the 
oceans,  while  on  each  side  of  the  streams  the  slope  of  the  lands 
is  very  slight  until  the  mountain  sides  are  reached  A  canal  is 
taken  out  of  the  river  at  say  a  grade  of  two  feet  per  mile,  and 
run  away  from  the  river  bed  so  as  to  preserve  this  fall.  There- 
fore if  a  canal  is  taken  out  ten  miles  in  length  it  will  be  eighty 
feet  above  the  river  bed  at  its  furthest  point  and  a  proportionate 
distance  back  toward  the  mountains  from  the  river.  The  land 
intervening  between  the  canal  and  the  river  is  irrigated  by 
means  of  small  ditches  running  to  the  highest  point  on  each  farm 
from  which  water  is  distributed  by  means  of  smaller  laterals. 
If  the  flow  of  the  stream  is  not  sufficient  to  water  the  lands 
during  the  whole  of  the  growing  months,  a  reservoir  is  built  at 
some  convenient  point,  and  the  flood  waters  of  the  spring  are 
stored  for  use  in  the  late  summer.  The  water  is  applied  to  the 
crops  in  dozens  of  ways.  Fruit  and  vegetables  are  best  irrigated 
by  means  of  small  ditches  run  down  between  the  rows.  Alfalfa, 
grain  and  broadcast  crops  generally  are  best  watered  by  the 
flooding  system,  by  which  the  water,  carried  on  to  the  fields  in 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  57 

plough  furrow  ditches,  is  allowed  to  cover  the  surface,  a  system 
of  checks  made  of  low  furrow  embankments  being  employed 
to  raise  it  over  any  given  portion  of  the  field.  If  the  land  has 
been  properly  prepared  by  plowing  and  cultivating  the  water- 
will  sink  in  a  few  hours  to  a  depth  of  from  three  to  four  feet. 
As  soon  then  as  the  crop  becomes  workable,  cultivators  should 
be  run  over  the  land  wherever  the  condition  or  character  of  the 
crop  will  permit  it.  A  fine  tilth  of  four  to  six  inches  deep  is 
the  best  protection  from  evaporation.  Wetted  land  under  the  sun 
forms  a  glossy  skin,  which  quickly  cracks  and  curls  up.  This  is 
nature's  medium  for  evaporation,  and  it  should  be  destroyed  as 
quickly  as  possibly.  Any  modern  cultivator  or  harrow  will  do 
this.  When  this  tilth  is  formed  it  will  not  only  prevent  evapo- 
ration, but  will  permit  a  maximum  of  air  and  light  to  reach  the 
fine  roots  of  the  plants,  thus  forcing  the  growth  to  the  highest 
natural  development.  Wheat,  alfalfa  and  such  crops  will  pre- 
serve water  from  evaporation  by  the  shade  they  afford  the  land 
and  cultivating  need  not  be  resorted  to. 

As  an  example  of  the  fertilzing  properties  of  irrigation  it  is 
interesting  to  note  where  the  little  furrows  of  one  year  were 
drawn ;  an  experienced  eye  can  always  detect  their  course  by 
reason  of  the  increased  yield  over  those  •  particular  portions. 
The  reason  for  this  is  that  more  sediment  was  deposited  thereon 
because  of  the  greater  amount  of  water  that  flowed  over  the  land. 

O 

This  sediment  of  water  is  the  source  of  the  great  fertility  of  the 
Nile  valley.  In  New  Mexico  every  stream  is  a  Nile,  and  the 
Rio  Grande  carries  more  of  this  rich  sediment  than  even  the 
famous  river  of  Egypt. 

Official  Statistics. 

The  acreage  under  ditch  in  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  at 
the  end  of  1891  was  placed  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
at  700,000,  with  475,000  acres  under  cultivation,  as  against 
077,315  under  ditch  and  450,000  cultivated  in  1890.  The 
present  area  under  ditch  will  amount  to  800,000  acres.  The 
average  of  irrigation  in  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  for  the 


58  NEW  MEXICO. 


year  1889-1890  given  by  the  U.  S.  census,  was  as  follows: 
Average  size  of  irrigated  farms,  thirty  acres;  average  value  of 
water  rights  per  acre,  $18.30;  average  cost  of  irrigation  per  acre, 
$5.58;  average  cost  of  annual  rental,  $1.54;  average  first  cost 
of  cultivation,  $11.71;  approximate  cost  of  productive  system, 
$512,000;  approximate  total  value  in  1890,  $1,679,000;  ap- 
proximate increase  for  year,  $1,167,000;  approximate  first  cost 
with  water  rights,  $1,701,000;  approximate  value  June  1,  ISDO, 
$4,677,000;  increase  in  value,  $2,976,000;  total  value  of  such 
farms,  $4,467,000;  total  value  of  products  for  year,  $1,174,000; 
increase  in  value  in  irrigation  land,  per  acre,  $50.58;  cost  per 
mile  for  ditches,  five  feet  in  width,  $319;  between  five  and  ten 
feet,  $582;  over  twenty  feet,  $6,606. 

The  figure  of  principal  interest  to  the  farmer  in  the  above  is 
the  average  cost  of  irrigation  per  acre,  $5.58.  The  average 
throughout  the  arid  region  is  $9.15.  It  will  therefore  be  seen 
at  a  glance  how  favorable  are  the  general  conditions  in  this  Ter- 
ritory. Let  the  Eastern  farmer  compare  the  above  with  his 
profits.  Let  him  then  consult  the  census  figures  as  to  the  con- 
dition of  his  State,  and  make  up  his  mind  if  his  condition  and 
surroundings  justify  him  in  remaining  on  his  hardly  tilled  and 
scantily  yielding  acres.  The  traditional  and  historic  method  of 
farming  is  by  irrigation.  Nearly  eight-tenths  of  the  world's 
population  are  fed  to-day  from  the  irrigated  farm.  Not  only 
this,  but  it  is  the  only  sure  and  profitable  method.  Irrigation 
farming  in  this  land  of  sunshine  is  the  road  to  comfort  and 
wealth. 

Reservoirs. 

There  is  nothing  less  understood  in  irrigation  than  the  use  of 
reservoirs.  They  are  often  not  practicable  at  the  beginning  be- 
cause of  expense  and  because  the  community  is  poor.  A  reservoir, 
to  relieve  the  community  under  it  from  expense,  should  be  prop- 
erly built;  that  is  the  best  engineering  skill  should  be  devoted 
to  its  plan,  and  the  very  best  type  of  labor  put  into  its  construc- 
tion. Makeshift  reservoirs  should  never  be  attempted.  They 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  59 


are  not  only  dangerous  to  human  life,  but  are  liable  to  fail  at 
the  most  important  crop  period. 

New  Mexico,  however,  is  a  country  peculiarly  adapted  to  the 
storage  of  water.  Along  the  beds  of  its  streams  occur,  with  great 
frequency,  large  natural  basins  to  which  the  water  can  be  in- 
expensively diverted,  and  there  held  without  danger  of  the 
dam  breaking.  A  proposition  of  this  sort  is  usually  practicable 
with  ordinary  engineering.  Keservoirs  built  in  the  beds  of 
streams,  against  whose  dam  the  full  force  of  the  floods  come, 
should  only  be  constructed  after  all  the  surroundings  have  been 
examined  and  the  plans  approved  by  the  very  best  engineers. 
The  base  must  be  absolutely  good,  and  the  sides  keyed  in  to  the 
natural  formation  so  as  to  present  the  same  impervious  solidity 
as  if  the  structure  grew  there.  Another  important  item  is  the  spill- 
way. It  must  not  only  be  known  that  it  is  large  enough  to  carry 
off  the  excess  of  ordinary  floods,  but  it  must  also  be  capable  of 
carrying  off  in  an  orderly  manner  the  tremendous  floods  that 
sometimes  pour  through  our  rivers  from  what  are  known  as 
"cloudbursts."  It  is  not  frequent,  but  a  fact  known,  that  the 
summer  rains  of  this  country  sometimes  precipitate  from  one  to 
two  inches  or  more  in  an  hour  or  so  over  an  area  often  of  fifty 
square  miles.  Every  gully,  every  arroyo  and  every  swale  in  the 
land  becomes  a  raging  torrent  in  a  few  minutes.  This  violently 
pours  like  a  solid  mass  along  the  main  channel.  When  this  mo- 
mentum is  arrested  by  a  dam,  its  inertia  or  static  strength  must 
be  very  great  indeed  to  withstand  the  hurtling  power  of  the  flood. 

For  this  reason  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  strongly  advises 
all  colonies  who  may  desire  to  locate  in  New  Mexico  to  be  very 
wary  of  all  plans  proposed  by  their  agents  to  locate  dams  in 
stream  beds.  It  is  true  that  in  February,  1890,  a  masonry  dam 
in  California,  only  eight  feet  thick  at  the  base,  sixty  feet  high, 
and  battering  to  twenty -eight  inches  on  the  crest  or  top,  with- 
stood a  flood  precipitation  of  twenty-two  inches  in  forty-eight 
hours  over  a  drainage  area  of  seventy-seven  square  miles.  This 
dam,  although  frail  in  its  cross  section,  was  of  the  up-stream 
arch  type,  was  designed  by  one  of  the  best  engineers  living, 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION.  <>1 

and  had  many  advantages  of  situation  and  position  not  to  be 
duplicated.  The  owners  of  this  dam  have  since  increased  its 
base  to  over  600  feet,,  and  its  crest  thickness  to  about  300  feet. 
It  will  be  well  for  small  capitalists  to  leave  such  enterprises  to 
great  corporations  or  to  the  State.  Indeed  it  is  the  settled  con- 
victions of  experts,  that  none  of  these  dams  should  be  permitted 
unless  their  construction  has  been  sanctioned  and  authorized 
either  by  State  or  national  authority. 

There  is,  however,  one  storage  proposition  in  New  Mexico 
that  is  safe  and  not  too  expensive.  That  is  to  confine  the  waters 
in  natural  depressions  out  of  the  stream  line  or  along  the  course 
of  the  irrigating  canals  themselves.  The  water  is  diverted  to 
these  reservoirs  by  means  of  short  canals,  and  is  there  held  in  a 
state  of  rest  by  means  generally  of  very  inexpensive  embank- 
ments. Such  a  plan  is  usually  well  within  the  means  of  an 
ordinary  colony,  and  at  the  same  time  is  safe.  In  almost  every 
county  of  New  Mexico,  and  especially  011  all  its  wide  table  lands 
such  basins  are  found,  and  their  transformation  into  reservoirs 
is  easy.  Such  schemes  are  highly  commendable,  and  are  ex- 
pected to  reclaim  large  areas. 

Underflow. 

There  is,  however,  a  new  method  of  irrigation  whose  con- 
sideration is  of  great  importance ;  namely,  the  restoration  of  the 
underflow  to  the  surface.  The  value  of  this  means  of  supply 
was  first  brought  to  public  attention  by  Judge  J.  W.  Gregory,  of 
Garden  City,  Kansas.  At  his  suggestion  it  has  been  applied 
with  some  success  in  Finney  and  Kearney  counties,  Kansas. 
His  views  and  methods  have  been  pronounced  sound  by  general 
consent  of  the  experts  engaged  under  Col.  Hinton  in  the  Irri- 
gation Inquiry 

In  the  valley  of  the  Kio  Grande  this  theory  might  be  advan- 
tageously followed.  In  the  Pecos  valley  this  water  comes  to  the 
surf  ace.  naturally  through  fissures  in  the  conglomerate.  In  the 
Mimbres  valley  it  is  already  being  utilized  successfully.  This 
water  wherever  it  occurs  may  be  raised  in  various  ways,,  the  most 
expensive  of  which  is  the  submerged,  bed  rock  dam,  and  the 


62  NEW  MEXICO. 


cheapest  and  simplest  is  the  gravity  canal  run  back  into  the  water 
bearing  strata.  A  technical  description  of  this  method  would  be 
too  lengthy  for  this  article.  It  may,  however,  be  briefly  described 
as  a  horizontal  well  from  one  to  several  miles  long  running  back 
on  an  established  grade  into  the  water  bearing  sands  that  form 
the  river  bed.  Even  at  the  lowest  stage  of  the  Eio  Grande  these 
sands  could  be  made  to  yield  sufficient  water  to  eke  out  the  final 
irrigations  of  each  season.  Owing  to  the  abrupt  fall  of  this  river 
it  may  be  assumed  that  an  underflow  gravity  ditch  from  two  to 
three  miles  long  would  furnish  sufficient  water  to  fill  any  canal 
now  in  existence  in  its  valley.  The  cost  would  be  about  the  same 
as  the  same  length  of  ordinary  canals,  and  any  engineer  could 
cheaply  make  the  tests  necessary  to  establish  its  feasibility  at 
any  given  point. 

A  Few  Notable  Results. 

As  stated  elsewhere,  New  Mexico  has  taken  first  prize  for 
wheat  at  the  World's  Fair,  and  the  second  for  oats, — Russia 
alone  surpassing  this  territory. 

According  to  the  October  bulletin  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  New  Mexico  for  1893  presents  fig- 
ures as  follows:— 

Wheat,  New  Mexico  average  yield  per  acre, 16.8  bu. 


Kansas 
Colorado 

Oats,  New  Mexico 
"      Kansas 

Colorado 
Barley,  New  Mexico 

"       Kansas 

Buckwheat.  New  Mexic< 
"  Kansas 


8.4 

13. 

....      ..  ..29.2 

18.1 

26.7 

21.6 

8.1 

95. 

..67. 


Colorado 

The  average  condition  of  the  potato  crop  based  on  a  scale 
of  100,  is  T>4  for  Kansas,  81  for  Colorado,  and  for  New  Mexico 
90.  It  is  therefore  seen  that  New  Mexico  surpasses  Colorado 
and  her  famous  Greeley  potatoes. 

Sweet  potatoes  are  as  follows:  Kansas  60,  Colorado  90,  New 
Mexico  95. 

Sorghum  rates  in  Kansas  at  7*2,  Colorado  71,  Now  Mex- 
ico 9T). 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  63 


Corn,  Kansas,  64,  Colorado,  68,  New  Mexico,  98. 

To  show  how  good  a  report  this  is  for  New  Mexico,  it  may 
be  stated  that  the  general  average  of  the  country  for  wheat  was 
11.2;  of  rye,  13.3;  of  oats,  23.5;  of  buckwheat,  73.5;  Irish 
potatoes,  71.2;  of  corn,  75.1. 

Of  course  the  states  mentioned  above  can  not  compete  with 
New  Mexico  in  raising  fruit;  but  they  are  the  immediate  com- 
petitors of  this  territory  in  raising  the  cereals  and  root  plants. 
The  figures  above  are  given  to  show  how  successful  the  care- 
ful New  Mexican  farmer  may  be.  The  handicap  is  heavily  in 
his  favor. 

An  Endorsement. 

The  following,  clipped  from  the  Irrigation  Age,  is  self  explan- 
atory : 

"New  Mexico  is  one  of  the  Western  communities  which  has 
probably  surprised  the  public  by  the  extent,  the  variety  and  the 
quality  of  her  products.  She  claims  480  varieties  of  wheat,  75 
of  oats  and  27  of  rye,  and,  God  bless  her.  she  puts  aloft  the 
inscription:  'All  raised  by  irrigation.'  The  samples  of  these 
grains  are  of  the  highest  quality.  New  Mexico  alfalfa,  which 
is  unusually  prolific,  attracts  much  favorable  comment.  An 
interesting  feature  of  the  New  Mexico  exhibit  is  canaigre.  This 
is  a  new  comer,  and  is  little  known  to  the  public.  It  promises, 
however,  to  be  a  very  profitable  crop." 

Values  Under  Irrigation. 

In  New  Mexico  there  were  9,518  families  engaged  in  farm- 
ing during  the  year  July  1,  1889  to  June  30,  1890.  These  are 
the  official  figures  of  the  Census.  Of  these  8,393  families 
owned  their  own  places,  and  only  251  or  2.99  per  cent  of  them 
were  mortgaged  or  encumbered.  The  total  of  these  mortgages 
were  $373,245.  The  average  for  each  farm  was  $1,487,  the 
average  auction  value  of  each  farm  is  $4,346.  Probably  noth- 
ing can  so  clearly  demonstrate  the  value  of  irrigation  as  these 
official  figures.  The  number  of  farming  families  at  this  date 
has  increased  to  between  11,000  and  12,000,  but  about  the 
same  proportion  of  value  would  obtain. 


MINING. 


Mining  in  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  during  the  Spanish 
and  Mexican  rule  was  very  fitful,  and  as  a  usual  thing  was  not 
very  profitable.  During  the  Pueblo  revolution,  from  1680  to 
1692,  the  native  or  aboriginal  people  filled  up  all  the  mines 
opened  by  the  Spaniards  because  the  service  in  them  had  be- 
come hateful.  Every  artifice  of  the  Indian  was  used  to  destroy 
the  marks  of  the  leads  and  many  of  the  mines  were  never  re- 
discovered when  the  Spaniards  recovered  the  possession  of  the 
country. 

General  Geologic  Features. 

The  Territory  is  seamed  and  partitioned  by  gigantic  ranges, 
whose  sides  are  cut  by  torrential  streams,  offering  splendid  op- 
portunities for  both  lode  and  placer  mining.  The  Continental 
Divide,  Socorro,  Datil,  Zuni,  Black  Range,  Mimbres,  Mo- 
gollon,  Burro,  Florida  and  Tres  Hermanas  are  the  names 
of  the  principal  mountain  chains  carrying  precious  min- 
erals 011  the  west  side  of  the  Territory.  In  the  center  are  the 
Taos,  Santa  Fe,  Sandias,  Manzano,  Ortiz,  Sierra  Blanca,  San 
Andreas,  Organs,  Jicarrillas,  Sacramento  and  the  Guadalupe 
ranges.  The  Eaton  mountains  wall  in  the  Territory  on  the 
north  and  are  full  of  the  precious  and  industrial  metals. 

Characteristics  of  the  Metals. 

Gold  and  Silver  are  usually  found  in  about  the  same  neigh- 
borhoods. In  fact  the  New  Mexico  ores  are  in  the  nature  of  a 
mixture  of  both.  Some  of  the  best  gold  mines  in  the  Territory 
carry  a  large  amount  of  silver  and  almost  all  the  silver  leads 
contain  a  paying  percentage  of  lead.  There  are  large  areas  of 
the  gold  and  silver  regions  roughly  sketched  above  that  have 
never  been  prospected.  In  proof  of  this  is  the  large  discovery 


NEW  MEXICO. 


of  precious  inetal  made  in  the  Taos  range  about  a  year  ago  and 
which  is  now  being  extensively  worked.  Among  the  principal 
mineral  sections  are,  that  portion  of  the  Territory  within  a  radius 
of  100  miles  of  Fernando  de  Taos ;  the  southern  part  of  Santa  Fe 
County;  the  whole  length  of  the  Black  range  and  its  foot  hills 
in  Sierra,  Socorro  and  Grant  counties;  and  the  Organs  and 
Sierra  Blancas  in  the  South.  Indeed  some  of  the  gold  deposits 
in  these  regions  are  so  rich  that  every  rain  washes  out  small 
nuggets.  The  floods  that  come  down  from  Pinos  Altos  carry 
great  quantities  of  free  gold,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  sight  to 
behold  men  and  women  washing  gold  in  the  streets  of  Silver 
City  after  a  heavy  shower  or  freshet.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
San  Pedro  district,  and  in  the  Placer  district  in  Santa  Fe 
County,  also  on  the  upper  Rio  Grande,  where  the  gold  is  found 
so  near  the  grass  roots  that  men  earn  from  $3  to  $4  per  day 
panning  out  the  refuse  that  pours  from  the  mountain  sides  and 
placer  beds  after  every  heavy  storm. 

Distinctive  Features  of  the  Mountain  Formations. 

As  previously  described  the  Mountain  ranges  of  New  Mexico 
enter  it  from  the  Northwest  and  then  spread  out  fan-like  over 
the  western  two-thirds  of  the  territory.  These  ranges  are  a 
continuation  of  the  Cordillerian  chain  of  the  Eockies  in  Colo- 
rado. Their  structure  is  marked  by  huge  eruptive  bodies  of 
rock,  principally  of  porphyry,  quartz  and  sedimentary  forma- 
tions. In  many  places  these  eruptions  have  deposited  the 
metal  in  what  is  termed  tissure  veins  or  deep  vertical  crevices 
in  the  formation,  which  by  some  infiltrative  or  other  process 
has  been  filled  in  with  porphyry  or  quartz.  The  occurrence  of 
these  veins  is  somewhat  rare  and  their  working  is  the  most 
profitable  to  the  miner  as  they  permit  him  to  sink  a  vertical 
shaft  and  the  rest  of  his  workings  is  only  such  as  is  sufficient 
to  extract  the  pay  ore  by  means  of  stopes.  Near  Hillsborough, 
radiating  from  Animas  Peak  are  a  number  of  these  fissure 
veins  of  the  truest  formation. 

In  the  south  central  portion  of  the  territory  these  formations 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  67 

of  porphyry  and  quartz  are  interrupted  by  hard  lava  flows.  In 
the  western  part  of  Lincoln  County  and  extending  into  Dona 
Ana  County  is  a  large  flow  of  this  lava  resembling  a  river  in 
appearance.  The  section  is  known  as  the  "Malpais"  or  "bad 
lands.'.'  Whether  or  not  these  flows  are  mineral  bearing  is  as 
yet  unknown  to  a  certainty,  but  the  country  to  the  east  and 
west  of  them  is  filled  with  good  leads,  and  mineral  is  found 
plentifully. 

Another  feature  of  the  country  is  the  deep  canons  that  mark 
the  water  courses  in  the  mountains.  Their  appearance  leads 
frequently  to  curious  conclusions  as  to  their  origin.  One 
observer  says:  "It  seems  unlikely  that  these  deep  canons 
could  have  been  formed  by  gradual  erosion  from  the  surface 
alone,  and  it  is  quite  natural  in  this  country,  where  subter- 
ranean rivers  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  to  think  of  these  as 
one  of  the  causes  of  these  abnormally  deep  cuts.  The  subse- 
quent breaking  down  of  the  overlaying  strata  and  the  gradual 
washing  out  of  the  loose  detritus  would  appear  to  be  a  more 
reasonable  explanation  of  the  phenomenon."  Good  geologists, 
however,  refuse  to  endorse  this  opinion,  and  it  is  only  cited  to 
call  particular  attention  to  the  wonderful  formations.  The  canon 
of  the  Rio  Grande  opposite  Taos  is  one  thousand  feet  deep, 
very  narrow  and  with  walls  rising  sheerly  from  the  river  bed. 
It  is  a  peculiar  and  puzzling  natural  wonder.  The  Ocate,  to 
the  other  side  of  the  range,  also  cuts  straight  through  a  moun- 
tain in  a  canon  so  narrow  and  steep  that  it  can  not  be  seen 
from  the  surrounding  country  until  one  stands  directly  on  its 
brink.  Many  other  equally  curious  erosions  might  be  described, 
but  these  are  distinctive  of  the  rest. 

Precious  Stones. 

New  Mexico  stands  pre-eminent  among  the  states  and  terri- 
tories as  a  producer  of  precious  stones.  Fine  emeralds  have 
been  found  and  mounted,  but  not  in  sufficient  quantity  as  yet 
to  make  a  search  for  mines  of  them,  even  of  speculative  value. 
80  far  they  have  only  occurred  as  isolated  gems.  The  turquoise, 


68  NEW  MEXICO. 


however,  is  produced  in  large  quantities.  This  gem  is  not 
valued  in  this  country  as  highly  as  in  Europe,  where  the  prin- 
cipal supply  is  drawn  from  Persia.  In  New  Mexico  these  gems 
abound  principally  in  Southern  Santa  Fe  County  arid  in  Grant 
County.  Tiffany  Brothers  have  pronounced  them  the  finest  in 
the  world  and  superior  to  the  Persian  turquoise  in  tint,  lustre 
and  polish.  The  American  Turquoise  Company,  owning  the 
turquoise  mine  at  Cerrillos  in  Santa  Fe  County,  was  awarded 
the  first  premium  at  the  World's  Fair  at  Chicago.  Infor- 
mation is  not  readily  obtainable  as  to  these  mines  as  their 
owners  are  reluctant  to  encourage  prospecting.  A  correspond- 
ent from  Grant  County  writes:  "Work  on  the  turquoise 
mines  keeps  right  on.  They  never  diminish  or  increase  their 
force  and  are  very  quiet  as  to  what  they  produce.  They  have 
undoubtedly  mined  in  the  past  year  $100,000  in  turquoise  of 
the  best  quality,  which  is  claimed  to  be  superior  to  the  best 
produced  in  Persia." 

In  Santa  Fe,  in  Bernalillo,  Rio  Arriba  and  San  Juan  coun- 
ties a  very  superior  quality  of  garnet  is  found.  It  is  easily 
mistaken  for  the  true  ruby,  is  very  hard  and  takes  a  magnifi- 
cent polish. 

Coal. 

The  coal  deposits  of  this  territory  are  of  such  magnitude  and 
extent  as  to  be  truly  wonderful.  They  begin  in  the  immense 
beds  of  San  Juan  County  and  stretch  south  and  east  through 
the  territory  in  almost  unbroken  continuity  to  the  Mexican 
line.  The  principal  mines  are  located  at  Blossbrrg,  Coif  ax 
County,  Cerrillos  and  Waldo,  Santa  Fe  County,  Monero  and 
Amargo,  Rio  Arriba  County,  and  Gallup,  Bernalillo  County. 
All  the  mines  except  those  at  Cerrillos  are  bituminous. 

The  statistics  of  production  for  the  year  ended  December 
31,  1892,  are  as  follows: 

Blossburg  and  Raton 244,995  tons 

Cerrillos ! 18,747     " 

Monero 20,000    " 

Carthage 49,529    '• 

Gallup ..247,287    " 

Total..  .  .580,558  tons 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  69 

For  the  period  from  January  I  to  August  31,  1893,  the  fol- 
lowing, are  the  figures: 

Blossburg  and  Raton 245,907  tons 

Oerrillos 69,810    " 

Monero 16,132     " 

*Carthage 53,093    " 

Gallup 254,410    " 

Total 639,352  tons 

*The  Carthage  mines  have  been  shut  down  since  June,  1893. 

When  it  is  considered  that  the  Atlantic  &  Pacific  Railroad  was 
idle  on  account  of  strikes  during  the  early  part  of  the  year  and 
that  the  general  depression  of  trade  throughout  the  country  has 
to  some  extent  affected  coal  mining,  it  will  show  how  great  and 
growing  is  the  coal  tirade  of  New  Mexico. 

At  Raton  and  Blossburg  large  forces  are  being  worked  at 
this  writing.  The  Cerrillos  and  Waldo  mines  have  been  equipped 
with  the  very  latest  machinery.  The  Atchison,  Topeka  and 
Santa  Fe  Railroad  will  henceforth  take  from  these  mines  for 
distribution  through  Kansas  and  Colorado  over  1,000  tons  of 
bituminous  coal  per  day  and  about  5,000  tons  of  anthracite  per 
month.  Gallup  has  also  increased  its  facilities  for  the  trans- 
portation of  coal  to  Southern  California  and  Arizona.  Monero 
and  Armago  are  also  increasing  their  coal  outputs. 

True  Carboniferous  Formations. 

There  has  long  been  a  dispute  as  to  whether  the  New  Mexi- 
can Coal  deposits  were  of  the  true  carboniferous  type  or  merely 
lignite.  The  Territorial  geologist  denounces  this  idea  and  says 
the  coal  is  of  the  unquestioned  carboniferous  type.  Some  of  it 
analyzed  at  Cerrillos  showed  93  per  cent  of  fixed  carbon  and 
only  5  per  cent  of  ash,  moisture  and  volatile  matter.  In  Socorro 
County  on  the  Armendaris  Grant  are  also  large  beds,  from 
which  specimens  were  sent  to  the  United  States  chemist  at 
Washington,  whose  analysis  shows  that  this  body  contains  89 
per  cent  of  fixed  carbon.  Robert  T.  Hill,  the  noted  geologist, 
in  a  recent  report  on  some  property  in  New  Mexico,  also  pro- 
nounces the  coal  to  be  carboniferous  and  not  lignite. 


70  NEW  MEXICO. 


The  San  Juan  County  Beds. 

San  Juan  County  Coal  beds  in  the  extreme  northwest  corner 
of  the  territory,  have  not  been  prospected  to  any  extent.  They 
are  known  however  to  contain  almost  unlimited  quantities  of 
coal.  On  the  San  Juan  Kiver,  opposite  Fruitland,  is  a  truly 
notable  exposure  of  this  valuable  fuel.  It  stands  above  the  river 
34  feet  and  is  over  300  feet  long,  and  extends  back  into  the  bluff, 
on  a  very  slight  dip,  it  is  supposed,  for  miles  as  there  is  an  im- 
mense mesa  stretching  in  that  direction.  Immediately  across  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river  other  huge  beds  appear,  and  these  then 
stretch  up  the  La  Plata,  an  affluent  of  the  San  Juan,  for  nearly 
50  miles.  This  coal  is  a  hard  free  burning  quality.  An  experi- 
enced Cornwall  miner,  who  is  working  one  of  the  veins  on  the 
La  Plata,  says  he  never  saw  mines  so  easily  opened  or  that  so 
quickly  yielded  good  merchantable  coal.  All  that  seems  to  be  nec- 
essary is  to  strip  the  outer  layer  which  has  been  exposed  to  the 
weather  for  ages  and  the  fine,  glittering  material  is  found,  free 
from  slate  or  "bone"  and  ready  for  use.  Some  difference  of 
opinion  exists  as  to  the  quality  of  this  coal,  but  the  Bureau  of 
Immigration  can  state  on  the  authority  of  its  agent,  that  it  is  of 
a  good  coking  character.  Some  of  it,  in  his  presence,  was  cov- 
ered with  sand  and  fired  on  the  ground  and  in  a  short  time  was 
roasted  into  a  fine  silver  coke  with  a  ring  like  metal.  The  coal 
in  this  county  is  usually  found  in  a  thick  strata  between  slate 
and  sandstone  of  a  very  fine  grain. 

Taking  the  territory  by  counties  and  beginning  with  San 
Juan,  besides  its  coal,  there  is  a  well  founded  belief  that  large 
gold  veins  exist  in  the  mountains  of  the  county.  Prospectors 
proceeding  in  a  desultory  way  have  found  some  fine  specimens 
but  the  lodes  have  as  yet  not  been  even  approximately  located. 
Every  few  years  there  is  a  furore  about  the  gold  placers  of  the 
lower  San  Juan,  which  usually  brings  many  adventurous  miners 
to  grief.  The  gold  in  this  river  is  too  fine  to  be  profitably 
saved,  except  with  very  expensive  machinery.  Specimens  of 
a  red  cement  have  been  found  that  assayed  well  in  both 
gold  and  silver.  These  were  said  to  have  come  from  a  blanket 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  71 

vein  stretching  from  above  Largo  to  below  Farmington,  a 
distance  of  about  40  miles.  No  further  development  is, 
however,  known.  Miners  from  the  Silverton  country  in  Colo- 
rado, who  are  familiar  with  the  La  Plata  Mountains  in  this 
county,  also  report  large  mines  of  iron,  but  as  this  county  has 
no  good  railroad  connections,  little  is  positively  known  as  to 
its  mineral  wealth.  If  facilities  were  afforded  for  transpor- 
tation however  this  county  would  doubtless  pay  the  prospector 
and  actual  miner. 

Rio  Arriba  County. 

This  large  county  is  situated  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
territory.  Gold  is  being  produced  in  this  county  in  paying 
quantities.  On  the  Chama  is  a  stretch  of  country  greatly 
resembling  the  famous  placers  on  the  Snake  River  in  Idaho. 
They  begin  at  a  point  about  6  miles  above  Abiquiu,  and  then 
run  up  a  stream  a  distance  of  about  15  miles.  The  gravel  has 
true  placer  characteristics.  The  gold  near  the  surface  is  of  a 
fine,  floury  character  but  yields  well  to  both  pan,  cradle  or 
sluice.  Prospect  holes  have  been  sunk  in  this  gravel  from 
10  to  30  feet  in  many  places  but  bottom  has  never  been  found. 
The  dirt  from  these  excavations  runs  from  50  cents  to  $1.25 
per  yard  and  gets  better  as  bedrock  is  approached.  This  dirt 
runs  from  20  or  30  to  about  200  colors  to  the  pan  and  it  is 
rarely  that  any  dirt  is  washed  without  showing  somewhere 
between  these  figures.  Recently  30  pans  ran  $1.00.  One  com- 
pany has  recently  put  in  place  gold  washing  machinery  at 
a  factory  cost  of  $22,500.  This  contrivance  is  guaranteed  to 
save  90  per  cent,  of  the  gold.  There  are  nearly  30,000  acres 
of  good  placer  ground  on  the  river  and  its  tributaries,  and  it  is 
pronounced  by  experts  to  be  of  the  best  paying  charcter. 

This  county  also  possesses  coal  in  great  abundance,  and 
mines  of  it  are  open  on  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  Railroad  ;it, 
Monero  and  Amargo.  Twenty  thousand  tons  were  shipped 
last  year  and  the  coal  mining  is  rapidly  developing.  .It  will 
pay  any  company  to  investigate  the  coal  deposits  of  this  county. 


72 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Ou  the  Arroyo  Cobra  are  situated  great  veins  of  copper. 
These  mines  were  worked  by  the  first  Spanish  settlers.  They 
yield  so  freely  that  the  aboriginal  tribes  found  it  possible  to 

extract  the  metal.  These 
copper  mines  are  very  rich 
in  alloyed  minerals  and 
when  the.  mining  for  the 
industrial  metals  becomes 
more  general,  this  county 
will  be  the  source  of  «reat 

O 

wealth. 

When  the  country  was 

discovered  by  the  Span- 
iards, all  the 
Pueblo  Indians 
had  ornaments 
of  copper,  some 
few  had  small 
gold  nuggets, 
and  everything 
went  to  show 
that  the  extrac- 
tion of  mineral 
was  very  easy. 
From  the  first 
settlement  i  n 
1605  to  1680, 
the  date  of  the 
Pueblo  revolu- 
tion, tradition 
has  it  that  a 
large  treasure 
was  taken  from 
this  country. 
There  are  also 


Mining  in  New  Mexico  300  Years  Ago. 

tales  of  hoards,  hidden  away,  and  lost  mines.  [  How  much  of  this 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  73 

is  true  can  only  be  ascertained  of  the  careful  prospecting ;  but 
arguing  from  what  is  now  known,  it  would  seem  that  these  tra- 
ditions had  some  foundation  in  fact;  and  that  the  future  will 
develop  some  good  mines. 

Taos   County. 

Vast  mineral  wealth  is  stored  in  the  country  between  Taos 
and  Santa  Fe.  Prior  to  the  Pueblo  revolution  in  1680  the 
wealth  of  these  mines  was  famous.  The  Franciscan  Fathers, 
in  the  name  of  the  Church,  opened  many  and  worked  them 
through  the  labor  of  Indians.  The  Indians,  seeing  the  cupidity 
of  their  conquerors  had  been  the  cause  of  their  oppression, 
filled  up  all  the  mines,  and  refused  to  disclose  their  locations 
when  the  Spaniards  returned.  There  are  traditions  of  many 
rich  mines  and  the  Mexicans  firmly  believe  that  the  Pueblos 
have  preserved  the  secrets  to  many  of  them.  However  it  is 
improbable  that  these  aborigines  know  much  about  it,  as  it  was 
the  policy  of  their  leaders  during  the  revolution  to  destroy  and 
eradicate  as  thoroughly  as  possible  all  traces  of  these  mines. 
The  Districts  of  Arroyo  Hondo,  Embudo,  Picuris,  and  the  Kio 
Hondo  in  this  county  are  very  interesting.  They  all  lie  on  the 
western  slopes  of  the  Eockies,  and  are  of  such  richness  that 
tradition  has  magnified  their  value.  The  story  goes  that  a 
Mexican  named  Vigil,  discovered  in  the  church  at  Guadalajara, 
Mexico,  a  document  in  which  it  was  stated  that  the  Spaniards 
had  worked  mines  in  the  Taos  Mountains  near  Arroyo  Hondo 
from  which  millions  of  silver  were  taken,  and  that  when  the 
Pueblo  Kevolution  occured  in  1680,  they  concealed  in  one 
shaft  their  hoard  amounting  to  about  $14,000,000.  However 
apocryphal  this  may  be,  the  fact  is  that  within  the  past  year 
two  companies,  one  from  Chicago  and  one  from  Denver,  have 
opened  mines  that  promise  to  pay  as  well  as  any  in  the  coun- 
try. A  new  town  called  Amizett  has  sprung  up  there.  Strikes 
have  been  made  that  assay  in  the  thousands  of  dollars,  and 
the  work  is  being  pushed  very  systematically.  To  the  west  of 
these  lode  mines  lie  the  Kio  Grande  and  Kio  Colorado  placers, 
10 


NEW  MEXICO. 


and  in  the  Arroyo  Hondo  and  the  gulches  west  of  the  Canon 
del  Agua  gold  is  found  in  quantities  sufficient  to  make  profitable 
a  good  system  of  hydraulic  mining.  The  ores  consist  of  cyan- 
ite  and  talcose  slate,  perfectly  covered  with  float  quartz.  This 
region  of  country  is  peculiarly  a  gold  district.  Silver,  however, 
is  found  in  large  quantities. 

On  the  Rio  Grande  there  are  great  beds  of  mica,  and  quan- 
tities of  it  are  shipped  from  Tres  Piedras.  Copper  also  occurs 
in  bodies  sufficiently  large  to  warrant  large  workings  if  the 
trust  restrictions  on  that  trade  could  be  removed. 

Col  fax  County. 

The  principal  mines  of  precious  metals  in  this  county  are 
clustered  around  Baldy  mountain,  a  high  peak  of  the  main 
range  of  the  Rockies  known  at  this  point  as  the  Taos  mountains. 
It  towers  12,908  feet  high  and  overlooks  the  valleys  of  the  Mo- 
nero  and  Cimarron  rivers  and  Ute  creek.  Elizabethtowii  is  the 
center  or  principal  town  of  this  district,  and  is  situated  twenty- 
seven  miles  west  of  Cimarron  and  thirty-five  miles  northeast  of 
Taos.  The  principal  mining  districts  are  the  Ute  creek  district 
on  the  east  side  of  the  mountain ;  Willow  creek  on  the  south  and 
Elizabethtown  on  the  west.  This  region  was  one  of  the  earliest 
developed  in  New  Mexico,  and  a  peculiarity  of  its  ores  is  that 
the  quartz  contains  a  large  amount  of  peroxide  of  iron,  supposed 
to  be  induced  by  the  decomposition  of  iron  pyrites.  The  Aztec 
mine  is  among  the  best  known  producers  of  the  southwest,  and 
is  the  principal  working  in  this  region.  On  Willow  creek  and 
also  near  Elizabethtowii  there  are  numerous  claims  and  mines. 
This  land  is  all  on  the  Maxwell  grant,  but  the  directors  are 
very  liberal  in  their  arrangements  with  miners.  Prospectors 
are  encouraged  in  every  way  possible.  Not  only  do  good  lode 
mines  abound,  but  hydraulic  mining  may  be  profitably  pursued 
in  all  the  gulches  and  arroyos  around  Baldy  mountain  and  in 
the  tributary  streams  of  the  Cimarron.  Men  and  women  have 
often  been  seen  washing  out  gold  in  the  acequias  or  irrigating 
ditches.  Although  the  Aztec  mine  has  been  worked  for  about 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION.  75 

twenty-five  years,  it  recently  sold  to  an  English  company  for 
$150,000,  and  it  is  the  general  impression  among  miners  that 
the  purchasers  got  a  good  thing.  New  work  will  be  put  in  on 
this  property,  and  it  is  thought  its  development  will  lead  to  quite 
a  boom  for  this  region.  All  the  indications  are  that  the  best 
veins  are  as  yet  undiscovered.  The  general  opinion  of  miners 
is  that  the  gulches  of  Ute  district,  east  of  Baldy  mountain  are 
not  as  rich  as  those  on  the  west  side,  the  Moreno  district,  but 
that  the  lodes  of  the  former  are  better  because  of  greater  regu- 
larity of  the  strata.  Nearly  all  this  mining,  however,  has  to  be 
carried  on  at  about  10,000  feet  above  sea  level.  The  placer 
gold  is  very  coarse  and  the  lodes  run  very  high  in  gold. 

It  is  generally  supposed  that  the  Moreno  valley  was  a  lake 
until  its  waters  forced  a  passage  through  the  deep,  steep  canon 
of  the  Cimarron.  Dozens  of  gulches  empty  into  it,  and  it  is 
therefore  very  probable  that  a  large  amount  of  gold  has  been 
deposited  in  its  basin.  One  of  the  early  schemes  was  to  drive 
a  tunnel  from  the  Cimarron  canon  to  the  deepest  part  of  the 
bed  rock  in  this  basin  and  sluice  all  the  alluvium  through  it. 
Such  a  project  should  be  carefully  examined  and  would  probably 
pay  handsomely. 

The  Taos  mountains,  both  in  the  county  of  that  name  and  in 
Colfax  are  large  silver  producers;  in  fact  the  bulk  of  the  metal 
produced  by  the  Spaniards  in  this  region  was  confined  to  the 

white  metal. 

Coal. 

The  coal  deposits  of  this  county  are  very  large.  From  Trin- 
idad down  to  Clifton  peak,  on  what  is  termed  the  Eaton  plateau, 
the  whole  country  seems  to  be  underlaid  with  this  valuable  de- 
posit. The  mines  at  Blossburg  and  Eaton  are  good  payers. 
Last  year  the  combined  shipments  from  them  amounted  to  244,- 
995  tons.  During  the  first  eight  months  of  the  year  it  has  been 
245,907  tons.  There  seems  to  be  an  unlimited  supply  and  at  an 
early  day  these  mines  will  supply  Colorado  and  Kansas  with 
the  greater  part  of  their  fuel.  Iron,  aluminum  and  copper  are 
also  found  in  paying  quantities. 


76  NEW  MEXICO. 


Union  County. 

This  municipality  embraces  the  northeastern  portions  of  Col- 
fax,  San  Miguel  and  Mora  counties.  It  is  known  that  coal  and 
large  quarries  of  fine  building  stone  abound,  but  as  to  whether 
there  will  be  any  great  production  of  the  precious  metal  is  as 
yet  not  definitely  known.  It  is,  however,  a  new  county,  sparsely 
settled  and  unprospected.  Everything  is  in  favor  of  a  good 
mineral  development. 

San  Miguel  and  Gnadalupe  Counties. 

These  counties  have  three  mining  districts  within  their  borders, 
the  Carizalillo,  Mineral  City  and  the  Pecos  districts.  The  indica  - 
tions  are  that  large  deposits  of  mineral  exist  in  the  section  sur- 
rounding the  Pecos  headwaters.  Float  of  various  kinds  is  easily 
found.  The  famous  Las  Vegas  hot  springs  are  within  this 
county.  San  Miguel  county  and  its  sister  county  of  Guadalupe, 
recently  segregated  from  it,  are  still  embryonic  in  their  mineral 
development,  but  prospecting  is  on  the  increase,  and  the  indi- 
cations of  the  existence  of  precious  ores  are  good. 

Mora  County. 

This  county  has  for  its  western  boundary  a  continuation  of 
the  Taos  range.  It  is  easily  to  be  presumed  that  the  rich  min- 
eral deposits  of  this  range  continue  into  Mora  county,  but  not 
much  is  accurately  known.  There  has  been  no  extensive  pros- 
pecting, but  one  good  mineral  district,  that  of  Mora,  near  the 
town  of  that  name  is  organized.  The  western  slopes  and  gulches 
of  the  Rocky  mountains  should,  however,  furnish  good  placer 
and  lode  mining  for  the  precious  metals.  In  common  with  the 
rest  of  New  Mexico,  colors  of  gold  may  be  found  in  dirt  taken 
from  almost  any  portion  of  the  county,  and  good  prospecting 
will  undoubtedly  result  in  the  finding  of  large  fields  of  this 
metal  and  silver.  The  Turkey  mountains  show  big  outcrops  of 

coal. 

Santa  Fe  County 

Presents  a  diversified  prospect  for  the  miner.   The  Old  and  New 
Placers  in  the  southern   part  of  the  county,  near  the  towns  of 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  77 

Golden,  Dolores  arid  Tuerto,  are  considered  by  miners  the  richest 
in  New  Mexico,  if  not  in  the  United  States.  Under  the  Spanish 
rule  thousands  of  men  were  constantly  employed  in  washing 
out  the  gold  in  the  crudest  manner.  They  would  dig  holes  in 
the  drift  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  pack  the  dirt  out  on  their 
backs,  and  wash  the  gold  out  in  wooden  batias  or  dishes  by 
means  of  water  procured  by  melting  the  snow  with  hot  rocks. 
Millions  of  dollars  were  taken  out  in  this  crude  manner.  After 
the  cession  of  New  Mexico  to  the  United  States  these  miners 
emigrated  to  Chihuahua.  After  every  rain  small  nuggets  of 
gold  may  be  found  exposed  on  the  surface,  one  amounting  to 
over  $1,200  in  value  was  found  in  this  way.  The  only  problem 
to  be  solved  is  a  sufficient  water  supply.  Surveys  have  estab- 
lished the  practicability  of  bringing  the  water  of  the  Pecos 
river  on  to  these  placers,  and  as  there  would  be  no  objection  to 
the  use  of  the  giant  nozzle,  a  bonanza  awaits  the  shrewd  men 
who  will  accomplish  this.  The  soil  is  mostly  sandy  and  the 
water  would  have  to  be  carried  for  the  greater  part  of  the  dis- 
tance in  pipes.  Two  natural  basins  on  the  line  of  the  ditch 
could  be  used  as  reservoirs  and  a  constant  and  sure  supply 
assured.  Some  of  the  companies  who  have  used  this  method  of 
hydraulic  mining  in  California,  where  it  is  now  prohibited  by 
law,  should  take  this  proposition  into  consideration.  The  mil- 
lions extracted  by  the  first  crqde  efforts  of  poorly  informed 
miners  would  be  very  slight  in  comparison  to  the  riches  that 
might  be  washed  out  by  some  modern  process.  So  rich  is  the 
ground  in  this  county  that  it  is  stated  by  Kositer  W.  Kaymond 
that  "color  can  be  found  almost  everywhere  in  those  regions 
where  the  older  rocks  are  the  underlying  formation  or  where 
they  are  adjacent  to  gulches.  Even  in  the  very  city  of  Santa  Fe" 
color  can  be  got." 

A  Big  Proposition. 

Aside  from  this,  the  gold  of  these  placers  can  be  easily  traced 
to  the  lodes  from  which  it  originated.  Considerable  progress 
has  been  made  in  this  part  of  the  Territory,  but  what  is  needed 
is  a  concentrated  effort  to  handle  these  lode  and  placer  mines 


78  NEW  MEXICO. 


under  one  control  or  association.  Much  money  has  been  wasted 
in  the  erection  of  machinery  before  the  grade  or  quality  of  the 
ore  was  really  known,  and  this  misdirected  effort  and  capital 
and  want  of  professional  skill  have  prevented,  thus  far,  the 
proper  development  of  these  really  rich  properties.  If  wise  and 
far  seeing  capitalists  will  organize  to  develop  this  section,  there 
is  no  doubt  but  that  they  will  open  mines  as  rich  if  not  richer 
than  any  yet  known. 

Silver  is  also  a  paying  product  in  this  vicinity.  In  this  county 
are  found  rich  beds  of  turquoise  and  garnets  superior  to  any 
other  workings  in  the  world.  This  is  the  dictum  of  Tiffany 
Brothers'  expert. 

Coal. 

The  coal  deposits  of  Santa  Fe  county  are  well  developed. 
Near  Cerrillos  and  Waldo  station,  on  the  Atchison,  Topeka  & 
Santa  F6  Kailroad,  in  a  series  of  low  undulating  hills  are  found 
rich  beds  of  anthracite  and  bituminous  coal.  Often  they  lie  in 
alternate  strata,  the  metamorphosis  having  probably  taken  place 
on  account  of  great  heat  during  the  eruptive  period.  Last  year 
18,747  tons  were  shipped  from  Cerrillos.  This  season  the  ar- 
rangements are  complete  to  ship  1,000  tons  of  bituminous  coal 
per  day  and  about  5,000  tons  of  anthracite  per  month. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Cerrillos  and  from  there  to  the  placers 
is  a  tract  of  archaean  formation  filled  with  large  veins  of  gold 
bearing  copper  and  magnetic  iron  ores.  The  rocks  are  eruptive. 
Rhyolite  and  trachyte  break  through  the  cretacious  surface  and 
the  scene  is  one  of  the  utmost  grandeur  and  in  places  becomes 
awful  in  its  wild  and  terrible  disorder.  Hardly  any  equal  area 
shows  such  diversified  prospects  of  metals,  both  precious  and 
industrial  and  of  fuel.  This  has  been  taken  advantage  of  by 
the  Santa  Fe  Eailroad,"  and  large  coke  ovens  line  its  tracks  at 
Waldo.  This  is  an  exceptional  section  for  coke  burning  or  for 
iron  manufacturing. 

Bernalillo  County. 

This  county  stretches  from  the  Arizona  line  to  the  east  of  the 
Rio  Grande.  It  is  diversified  in  its  prospects.  On  the  west,  near 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  71) 

Gallup,  are  immense  coal  beds,  which,  through  the  A.  &  P.  Rail- 
road, supply  the  largest  part  of  the  coal  used  in  Southern  Cali- 
fornia. The  shipments  from  these  mines  exceeded  those  of  any 
other  district  in  the  Territory,  amounting  to  254,410  tons  for  the 
first  eight  months  of  1893.  These  beds  seem  to  be  a  continuation 
of  the  immense  beds  that  lie  to  the  north  in  Rio  Arriba  and  San 
Juan  counties,  previously  described.  In  the  central  portion  of 
the  county  the  Nacimiento  and  Jemez  mountains  are  of  volcanic 
origin,  and  near  them  are  the  San  Mateo  mountains  in  which  other 
immense  bodies  of  coal  are  found.  Says  an  expert:  "Between  the 
RioPuerco  and  the  Rio  Grande,  west  of  Santa  Fe",  are  the  Jemez. 
and  still  further  the  Nacimiento  mountains;  north  of  them  those 
of  Tierra  Amarilla  and  Abiquiu.  All  of  them  are  known  to  be 
filled  with  minerals,  but  in  most  of  them  prospecting  has  not 
been  carried  on  sufficiently  to  permit  of  giving  details  in  this 
connection."  It  may  be  said  that  what  is  before  related  as  to 
placer  beds  at  Chama  is  in  a  general  sense,  applicable  to  all  the 
gulches  running  down  from  the  mountains  described. 

No  Drawback  to  Prospecting. 

The  climate  of  this  region  and  in  fact  of  all  New  Mexico  is 
mild  and  healthy.  The  sky  is  a  vivid  azure,  surpassing  that  of 
Italy.  The  air  is  pure  and  transparent.  In  fact  the  very  act 
of  breathing  in  this  and  the 'country  previously  described  is  in 
itself  a  pleasure.  The  soil  is  fertile  and  will  supply  the  miner 
with  sufficient  of  the  necessaries  of  life.  The  wonder  and  the 
mystery  to  persons  who  know  this  country  is  that  it  has  been 
practically  avoided  by  the  miner  and  prospector.  Various  rea- 
sons are  given  as  to  why  immigration  does  not  settle  in  this 
Territory,  but  there  seems  to  be  no  adequate  explanation  why 
the  miner,  who  invades  the  arctic  winters  of  the  north  and 
thirsts  under  African  and  South  American  suns  should  hesitate 
to  explore  such  a  beautiful  and  wonderfully  rich -land.  It  is 
true  that  rich  mines  and  placers  are  covered  with  more  or  less 
valid  grants ;  but  as  this  bar  to  good  titles  will  now  be  settled, 
and  as  most  of  the  region  under  description  has  been  passed 


ex, 

s 

a! 
O 

c 

'c 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  81 

on,  it  is  hoped  that  this  state  of  affairs  will  end.  These  moun- 
tains are  covered  with  pine,  cedar,  oak,  etc.,  fit  for  mine  tim- 
bers and  fuel,  also  for  charcoal. 

The  mineral  districts  in  this  county,  as  now  created,  are  the 
Nacimiento,  Las  Placitas,  Bernalillo,  Tijeras  and  the  Hell  Canon 
districts.  Included  also  within  its  area  are  the  great  Jemez 
and  Sulphur  mineral  springs.  At  Copper  City  and  in  the  San- 
dia  mountains  copper  beds  are  found,  and  the  latter  range  has 
a  good  many  placers  of  value,  that  if  worked  and  traced  to  the 
mother  lodes  would  yield  richly.  In  eastern  Bernalillo  county 
are  found  large  deposits  of  salt  and  salt  lakes. 

Valencia  County. 

The  only  mineral  districts  established  in  this  county  are  the 
Mt.  Taylor  and  Manzano.  This  county  stands  in  the  same  list 
as  Bernalillo.  It  has  unlimited  resources  of  mineral  and  agri- 
cultural wealth.  If  mining  were  once  began  in  earnest,  immense 
tracts  of  land  would  be  watered  and  cultivated  as  an  imme- 
diate market  would  be  afforded.  As  it  seems  now  this  section 
must  develop  on  different  lines  from  the  rest  of  the  Rocky 
mountain  region.  It  would  seem  that  the  agricultural  lands 
must  first  be  opened,  and  then  mines  will  be  stumbled  on  by  a 
few  lucky  ones.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  coal,  iron  and 
copper  are  found  and  known  to  exist  in  abundance,  and  that 
there  are  good  indications  of  the  precious  minerals,  little  is  being 
done.  Extensive  salt  deposits  are  known  to  exist  in  eastern 
Valencia. 

Socorro  County. 

Tins  county  is  well  advanced  in  mineral  development.  Eleven 
mineral  districts  are  already  organized  therein.  They  include 
the  Council  Kock,  Amy,  Gallinas,  Iron  Mountain,  Pueblo,  Mag- 
dalena,  Socorro,  Oscuro  Mountain,  Hanson,  San  Andres  and 
the  Cooney  or  Mogollon  districts.  The  output  of  the  mines 
includes  both  gold  and  silver.  In  the  western  part  of  this  county 
are  found  deposits  of  good  salt  and  several  salt  lakes.  Eecent 
prospects  have  also  revealed  good  beds  of  coal  on  the  Armen- 


82  NEW  MEXICO.. 


daris  grant  and  on  the  San  Agustin  plains.  At  the  city  of 
Socorro  are  located  the  largest  ore  reduction  works  south  of 
Pueblo  and  north  of  El  Paso.  They  are  convenient  to  the 
largest  mining  district  known.  The  silver  mines  in  this  county 
carry  large  amounts  of  lead,  and  for  this  reason  few  of  them 
have  shut  down  even  during  the  late  hard  times  The  leads  are 
found  principally  in  the  Datil,  Magdalena,  Oscuro,  San  Mateo, 
San  Andres  and  Mogollon  chains  of  mountains.  The  San  Fran- 
cisco and  Pinon  mountains,  when  prospected  thoroughly,-  will 
also  show  good  mines.  Little  trouble  is  experienced  in  mining 
in  this  county  as  water  and  timber  are  almost  everywhere  con- 
venient to  the  workings.  The  mountains  may  be  described  as 
composed  of  primitive  and  granitic  rocks  in  their  central  and 
higher  portions,  and  lapping  on  this  are  strata  of  quartzite, 
limestone  and  shale,  faulted,  pierced  and  disturbed  by  eruptions 
of  porphyry  and  talcose.  The  mines  occur  along  the  eruptive 
lines  in  the  form  of  contact  and  blanket  veins  and  are  very  pro- 
ductive. One  of  the  best  known  camps  in  the  southwest  is  Kelly, 
in  this  county ;  there  are  rich  mines  in  this  camp,  some  of  which, 
the  Kelly  group  and  Graphic  company's  mines  have  been  worked 
with  great  profit  to  the  owners  and  for  many  years. 

The  Rio  Grande  Smelting  company  has  most  extensive  and 
modern  works  at  Socorro;  these  latter  have  been  conducted  for 
twelve  years,  and  have  yielded  much  profit.  All  kinds  of  ores 
are  being  treated  at  those  smelters,  and  ore  is  bought  from  all 
of  the  camps  in  central  and  southern  New  Mexico,  and  much  of 
it  also  comes  from  the  State  of  Chihuahua. 

Near  the  city  of  Socorro  are  extensive  beds  of  fire  clay ;  ex- 
periments have  proven  this  deposit  to  be  very  valuable  and  to 
make  the  finest  of  fire  brick  and  pottery. 

Carthage  shipped  53,093  tons  of  coal  during  1893,  but  has 
since  been  abandoned  and  the  forces  and  machinery  moved  to 
Waldo  station  in  Santa  Fe  county. 

Sierra  County. 

This  county  includes  the  Black  range  and  Caballo  mountains. 
It  is  exceedingly  rich  in  mineral ;  indeed  it  may  be  termed  one  of 


84  NEW  MEXICO. 


the  richest  counties  of  the  Territory.  It  includes  such  thriving 
camps  and  districts  as  the  San  Cristobal,  Apache,  Black  Range, 
Cuchillo  Negro,  Chloride,  Grafton,  Caballo  mountain,  Lake  Yal- 
ley,  Hillsborough,  Animas  Peak  and  the  Perchas.  The  county 
contains  some  of  the  best  gold  mines,  and  in  the  production  of 
silver  its  history  is  romantic;  for  instance,  the  Bridal  Chamber 
at  Lake  Valley  yielded  $3,500,000  of  native  silver,  another 
chamber  at  Kingston  supplied  $350,000  to  its  fortunate  finder. 
Without  enumerating  the  particular  mines  it  will  be  well  to 
give  some  extended  account  of  this  county. 

Around  Kingston  the  mines  are  found  in  contacts  of  porphyry 
and  limestome.  The  average  value  of  the  Kingston  output 
exceeds  $100  per  ton,  and  it  may  be  said  that  no  richer  ores, 
taking  into  account  the  extent  of  country,  are  found  on  the 
continent.  Since  1883  $6,000,000  of  silver  have  been  taken 
from  the  town  of  Kingston  alone;  much  of  it  was  found  on  the 
surface,  and  this  has  been  the  cause  of  a  slight  set  back  to  this 
rich  district.  The  men  who  purchased  many  of  the  mines  did 
so  with  the  idea  that  they  were  finding  money.  When  the 
bonanza  period  ceased  they  failed  to  respond  to  the  demands 
for  money  necessary  to  carry  the  workings  into  the  true-  ore, 
and  many  mines  were  forced  to  shut  down.  There  are  millions 
still  in  the  hills  around  Kingston.  The  ores  run  in  native  and 
brittle,  sulphide,  chloride  and  chloro-bromide  ores  of  silver. 
The  ore  belt  is  about  five  miles  wide  and  twenty  miles  long,  and 
includes  the  North  and  South  Percha  and  the  Rio  Animas  gold 
fields. 

Hermosa,  about  eighteen  miles  north  of  Kingston,  is  de- 
scribed as  a  poor  man's  para  .Use.  It  is  situated  in  a  small  park 
and  is  essentially  a  field  for  the  individual  miner.  There  art1 
about  fifty  well  known  mines  open  in  this  district.  Shipments 
from  this  camp  have  brought  over  $1,000  per  ton.  The  ore  is 
principally  galena.  Tierra  Blanca  is  about  eight  miles  south 
of  Kingston  and  within  twelve  miles  of  the  railroad  terminus. 
Masses  running  as  high  as  $(>0,000  per  ton  have  been  found  in 
this  district  in  a  chloro-bromide  ore.  The  Rio  Trujillo  mines  are 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  85 


similar  to  those  at  Kingston.  Lake  Valley  is  a  uamp  whose  fame 
is  world  wide.  It  has  shipped  over  $8, 000, 000  of  silver,  which 
is  found  principally  as  horn  and  native  silver. 

Chloride,  Grafton  and  Fairview  are  also  good  camps.  They 
are  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county,  off  the  railroads,  but 
are  good  paying  camps. 

Hillsborough,  the  county  seat  is,  however,  the  great  mining 
center  at  present.  It  is  distinctively  a  gold  camp.  The  ore 
veins  are  found  on  one  or  the  other  side  of  intrusive  porphyry 
dykes,  that  cross  the  country  from  southwest  to  northeast,  form- 
ing true  fissure  veins  whose  depth  continues  in  ore  growing 
gradually  richer  as  far  as  the  science  of  man  has  yet  been  able 
to  penetrate.  To  the  west  of  these  porphyry  dykes  is  a  large 
placer  field  which  is  being  now  developed  by  water  brought  from 
the  Animas  river  in  a  pipe  line  over  twenty  miles  long.  These 
fields  have  yielded  close  to  a  million  dollars  already,  although 
they  have  never  been  worked  except  with  crude  dry  washers. 
Under  the  giant  nozzle  these  fields  will  pay  well. 

A  notable  project  is  that  now  in  progress  near  Hillsborough 
to  tunnel  clear  through  Auimas  peak,  from  which  the  porphyry 
dykes  seem  to  radiate.  This  drift,  it  is  believed,  will  cut  a 
dozen  or  so  of  the  big  veins  and  produce  more  largely  than  any 
mines  yet  opened  in  the  West.  The  capitalists,  who  are  pushing 
this  work,  have  absolute  faith  in  the  success  of  their  venture. 
In  all  the  lode  mines  in  this  district  copper  is  a  by-product  of 
considerable  value,  and  is  utilized  at  the  smelters  at  Hillsborough 
to  run  the  gold  into  a  copper  matte.  The  values  of  the  ore 
vary  from  free  milling  at  about  $6  per  ton  to  heavy  sulphide 
ore  from  $30  to  $175.  The  daily  production  at  present  is  about 
100  tons  of  gold  paying  ore  per  day.  Four  milk,  the  Bonanza, 
Standard,  Eichmond  and  Hopewell  are  running  constantly  on 
ore  from  this  camp.  The  average  concentration  is  about  ten 
tons  of  ore  into  one  of  matte ;  this  is  then  shipped  and  treated 
at  the  big  smelters  and  refineries  to  about  the  cost  of  one  ton 
of  ordinary  ore.  It  is  believed  that  this  camp  alone  will  next 


86 


NEW  MEXICO. 


year  put  out  over  a  $1,000,000  of  gold.      The  average  for  the 
present  year  will  ran  about  $800,000. 

Grant  County. 

This  county  includes  twenty  organized  mining  districts,  com- 
prising the  Mimbres,  Georgetown,  Santa  Rita  and  Central  City 
district,  Lone  Mountain,  Hanover,  Silver  Flat,  Chloride  Flat, 


A  New  Mexico  Smelter. 

Pinos  Altos,  Biirro  Mountain,  Stein's  Peak,  Virginia  and 
Shakespeare  district,  Yictorio,  Florida,  Tres  Hermanas,  Carri- 
zalillo,  Eureka,  San  Simon,  Florida  and  Mogollon. 

The  history  of  this  county  and  its  mining  development  is 
similar  to  that  of  many  other  places  in  the  West.  The  pioneers 
had  not  alone  to  overcome  the  difficulties  of  nature  on  account 
of  its  isolation  from  civilization,  but  the  Indians,  during  the 
early  years  here,  were  very  dangerous.  In  fact,  it  is  only  within 
the  last  decade  that  the  widely  separated  mining  camps  became 
comparatively  free  of  danger  from  savage  attacks.  This  county 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  87 

comprised  part  of  the  favorite  range  of  the  Apaches;  but  as 
early  as  1861  the  Pinos  Altos  gold  mines  were  discovered  and 
the  hardy  miners  pushed  in  to  develop  them.  Many  severe 
battles  were  fought  in  this  neighborhood;  but  so  rapid  was  the 
development  of  the  country  that  by  1869  the  United  States 
Commissioner  of  Mining  Statistics,  reports  that  213  claims  were 
opened  and  being  worked  in  the  Pinos  Altos  mountains,  and 
57  others  in  the  neighboring  Central  City  district.  Ores  from 
this  district  near  the  surface  are  a  decomposed  iron-stained 
quartz,  and  contain  free  gold,  sulphurets  of  iron  and  copper, 
auriferous  and  argentiferous  iron  and  copper,  galena  and  zinc 
blende  lower  down.  These  ores  are  easily  mistaken  for  the 
iron -stained  ores  of  Central  City,  Colorado. 

Gold  is  also  produced  at  Lordsburg,  Gold  Hill,  Shakespeare 
and  Pyramid.  The  balance  are  silver  mines  carrying  lead.  The 
mines  at  Cook's  Peak  run  a  large  amount  of  silver  to  the  ton 
and  at  the  same  time  are  among  the  best  lead  producers  in  the 
Territory. 

One  trouble,  and  about  the  only  one,  is  a  lack  of  water  in 
these  camps  during  the  last  summer  months;  but  this  is  being 
corrected  by  pushing  plans  to  store  the  flood  waters  and  develop 
water  on  bed  rock.  When  accomplished  these  mines  may  run 
a  full  force  every  day  in  the  year. 

Both  high  and  low  grade  silver  are  produced.  One  mine, 
the  Silver  Cell,  runs  upwards  of  $25,000  to  the  ton.  The  metal 
is  found  in  the  shape  of  wire  and  virgin  silver  between  two 
horizontal  blue  rocks,  and  averages  about  two  inches  thick  of 
solid  silver. 

Dona  Ana  County. 

In  this  county  the  Organ  mountains,  the  Jicarrilla  and  the 
slopes  of  the  San  Andres  furnish  the  prospects  of  mineral. 
They  are  principally  composed  of  granite  with  protruding  por- 
phyry interspersed  with  sand  and  limestones  turning  into  pure 
white  marble.  In  the  fissures  and  at  the  contact  of  these  for- 
mations silver  and  gold  occur  in  large  quantities.  The  Bennet- 
Stephenson,  one  of  the  oldest  mines  in  this  section,  is  a  good 


88  NEW  MEXICO. 


free  miller.  Half  a  ton  of  concentrates  is  shipped  from  this 
mine  every  hour.  The  ore  runs  nearly  40  per  cent  of  lead,  and 
the  characteristics  of  this  mine  may  be  said  to  apply  to  the 
others  now  developed. 

On  the  eastern  side  of  the  San  Andres  mountains  and  the 
Sierra  Oscura  there  is  a  vast  stretch  of  "White  Sands"  as  they 
are  called.  It  is,  however,  composed  of  pure  saccharcidal  gyp- 
sum. It  runs  from  for  about  sixty  miles  in  a  southerly  direc- 
tion by  thirty  from  east  to  west,  and  will  one  day  be  of  great 
value.  It  requires  no  more  expense  to  mine  it  than  is  involved 
in  loading  it  onto  the  cars,  as  the  gypsum  is  so  pure  and  fine  that 
if  granulated  sugar  were  taken  in  one  hand  and  the  gypsum  in 
the  other  it  would  be  impossible  to  tell  the  difference.  This 
probably  is  the  widest  extended  and  best  deposit  of  gypsum 
known.  In  the  neighbo'rhood  of  the  "White  Sands"  are  also 
found  deposits  of  borax. 

Lincoln  County. 

In  Lincoln  county  are  situated  the  Jicarrilla,  White  Oaks, 
Vera  Cruz,  Nogal  and  the  Capitan  mining  districts.  In  the 
neighborhood  of  White  Oaks  there  has  been  a  very  considerable 
development.  The  Old  Abe  and  the  Homestake  are  the  best 
known  mines,  but  good  strikes  and  prospects  are  constantly 
increasing  the  importance  of  this  county  as  a  mining  center. 
This  is  one  of  the  newest  fields  for  the  miner  in  the  West,  it  is 
undeveloped,  not  much  prospected,  but  known  to  run  high  in 
the  precious  minerals.  In  the  Sierra  Blanca  large  deposits  of 
pure  graphite  are  known  to  exist.  This,  however,  has  been 
little  worked.  Deposits  of  salt  are  also  found  in  this  county  to 
a  considerable  extent.  The  town  of  White  Oaks  is  the  principal 
mining  camp  and  is  flourishing  and  prosperous.  Extensive  coal 
deposits,  the  coal  being  similar  to  the  Trinidad,  Colorado,  coal, 
have  been  discovered  near  White  Oaks.  Nogal  and  Lincoln  and 
in  the  Capitan  mountains.  The  distance  from  rail  communication 
has  so  far  prevented  any  great  development  of  these  fields,  but 
they  are  known  to  extend  over  many  thousands  of  acres.  Ores 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  89 


in  the  mountain  ranges  occur,  like  most  everywhere  else  in 
New  Mexico,  on  the  contact  lines  between  lime  stone  and  por- 
phyry. All  Lincoln  county  needs  is  rail  connection,  then,  it 
may  safely  be  asserted,  mining  will  become  very  profitable,  and 
will  prove  one  of  the  leading  industries  of  the  county. 

Eddy  and  Chaves  Counties. 

These  two  counties  are  devoted  to  agriculture.  The  only  pros- 
pecting that  has  been  done  is  where  a  man  accidentally  stumbles 
on  to  something  that  appears  to  be  rich.  There  are  no  mining 
districts  organized  in  either,  but  large  beds  of  coal  and  extensive 
deposits  of  marble  have  been  discovered  in  the  Guadalupe  moun- 
tains, and  huge  beds  of  pare  gypsum  have  been  found.  The 
Llano  Estacado  is  simply  a  truncaded  mountain  chain  and  it  is 
possible,  that  good  mineral  development  may  be  had  on  its  top 
and  slopes.  Coal  especially  might  be  supposed  to  exist  upon  it. 

Conclusion. 

In  conclusion  it  is  only  necessary  to  say,  that  New  Mexico 
need  not  shrink  from  comparison  with  any  other  State  or  Terri- 
tory in  the  way  of  mineral  wealth.  There  are  at  present  102 
mining  districts  scattered  over  her  area,  and  there  is  room  and 
opportunity  for  hundreds.  New  Mexico  has  natural  resources 
and  riches  such  as  make  her  a  queen  among  the  States  and 
Territories,  and  in  some  degree  her  own  people  are  to  blame  for 
the  fact  that  she  has  not  attained  her  true  place.  This  bureau 
is,  however,  extending  a  hospitable  invitation  to  the  peoples  of 
the  earth  and  especially  of  the  United  States  to  come  and  share 
in  the  riches  that  will  be  developed.  With  a  climate  permitting 
out  door  work  the  year  round,  a  soil  rich  in  all  that  goes  to  make 
life  happy  and  mountains  of  mineral  scarcely  touched,  there  is 
no  reason  why  all  who  come  may  not  secure  riches  in  many  cases, 
but  in  all  a  certainty  of  a  happy  and  comfortable  home. 


NEW  MEXICO. 


THE  RESOURCES  and 


PROSPECTS  of  her  COUNTIES, 


WITH  SPECIAE  REFERENCE  TO 


ADVANTAGES  FOR  INVESTMENT 


IN  ALL  LOCALITIHS. 


Where  Colonies  Should  Settle, 


AND  WHAT 


Avocations  Will  Prove 'Profitable 


SAN  JUAN  COUNTY. 


This  county  is  one  of  the  garden  spots  of  the  world,  and  lies 
on  the  western  slope  of  the  great  continental  divide,  being  part 

of  the  Pacific  water- 
shed. Aside  from  its 
great  resources  as  an 
agricultural  and  stock 
country  its  scenery  is 
very  beautiful.  On  all 
sides  great  rocky  mas- 
ses, broken  into  pic- 
turesque formations, 
are  to  be  seen  across  wide,  fertile  valleys.  The  county  is  watered 
by  three  large  rivers,  and  from  their  junction  below  Farmington, 
the  view  is  grand  and  impressive. 

Beautiful  Scenery. 

To  the  west  and  far  down  the  valley  towers  Ship  Kock,  a 
beautiful  peak  rising  1,200  feet,  like  a  giant  ship  with  all  sails 
set.  In  the  far  southeast  or.  a  high  crag  stand  the  "Angels,'' 
two  stone  figures  of  great  resemblance  to  the  conventional  mes- 
sengers of  heaven.  Mystically  they  tower  over  the  surrounding 
country  as  guardians  of  its  peace  and  prosperity.  All  along  the 
southern  horizon  stretch  either  high  rolling  mesas,  or  the  bluff 
weather  worn  faces  of  the  cliffs.  In  the  north  tower  the  cloud 
crowned  summits  of  the  blue  La  Plata  mountains,  and  over  all 
is  the  sheen  of  an  arid  sky,  toning  from  the  vivid  grey  back- 
ground of  the  horizon  to  lovely  azure  blue  of  the  zenith.  Few 
scenes  even  in  the  romantic  West  present  such  beauty.  This 
is  only  one  of  the  many  delightful  prospects;  but  it  takes  in  a 
stretch  of  country  nearly  100  miles  long. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  93 


Divisions  of  the  County. 

As  has  been  shown,  the  topography  is  interesting  and  deserv- 
ing complete  description.  The  county  is  divided  by  arbitrary 
lines  into  two  unequal  portions,  the  larger  of  which  is  included 
in  the  Navajo  Indian  reservation,  which  occupies  somewhat  more 
than  the  western  half  of  the  county.  The  total  area  is  3,542,000 
acres,  and  of  this  about  1,641), 800  acres  lie  without  the  reser- 
vation. 

Land  and  Water. 

The  irrigable  land  is  found  on  the  table  and  bottom  lands  of 
three  great  rivers;  namely,  the  San  Juan  or  main  stream  and 
the  Animas  and  La  Plata,  which  empty  into  it  from  the  north. 
On  the  south  Canon  Largo  and  Canon  Gallego  drain  a  consid- 
erable area,  and  by  a  proper  utilization  of  their  waters  might  be 
made  important  adjuncts  to  the  irrigation  of  the  county. 

Considering  these  streams  in  the  order  of  their  importance,  the 
San  Juan  river  rises  in  Archuleta  county,  Colorado,  and  drains 
between  eighty  and  100  miles  of  the  western  slopes  of  the  con- 
tinental divide.  It  enters  New  Mexico  at  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  county,  makes  a  huge  semi- circle,  and  departs  on  its 
course  through  Utah,  at  the  extreme  northwest  corner  of  the 
Territory ;  within  the  county  the  total  length  of  this  stream  is 
about  124  miles,  about  thirty  miles  of  which  is  over  lands  of  the 
Navajo  reservation.  This  river  is  275  feet  wide,  has  an  average 
fall  of  eleven  feet  to  the  mile.  In  the  spring  and  early  summer 
it  is  only  fordable  at  a  few  places,  and  its  lowest  depth  is  about 
two  feet.  Even  as  late  as  October  and  November  its  waters  will 
reach  to  a  wagon  bed.  The  lowest  flow  of  .this  river  will  be  about 
4,000  cubic  feet  per  second,  or  sufficient  at  the  most  conserva- 
tive estimate  to  irrigate  640,000  acres. 

Farm  L,and  on  the  San  Juan. 

In  this  valley  from  a  point  about  ten  miles  above  Largo  there 
is  a  narrow  strip  of  bottom  land  on  each  side  of  the  river.  At 
the  town  of  Largo  the  river  bottom  widens  out  into  rolling 
mesas  and  bottom  lands  which  are  available  for  cultivation.  The 


NEW  MEXICO. 


most  important  of  these  tracts  are  known  as  the  Bloomfield  and 
Solomon  mesas,  which  with  the  bottom  lands  under  them  will 
aggregate  somewhat  over  20,000  acres.  They  are  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river.  From  thence  to  the  junction  of  the  Animas, 
the  mesa  lands  are  broken  into  detached  plateaus  rather  difficult 
to  irrigate.  On  the  south  side  of  the  river,  between  the  mouth 
of  the  Animas  and  Farmington,  is  a  splendid  piece  of  bottom 
land  twenty-five  miles  long  and  from  one  to  two  miles  wide. 
The  Animas  and  La  Plata  empty  into  the  San  Juan  near  Farm- 
ingtoii,  about  midway  in  the  county.  On  the  two  points  of  land 
formed  by  the  rivers  are  about  12,000  or  15,000  acres  of  fine 
land  all  under  ditch.  Beginning  then  at  the  mouth  of  the  La 
Plata,  and  for  twenty  miles  down  the  San  Juan,  to  where  it 
breaks  through  the  Hogback,  a  line  of  low  hills,  there  is  a  con- 
tinuous series  of  mesas  with  about  a  mile  wide  of  bottom  land. 
A  little  over  15,000  acres  here  are  now  under  ditch.  To  the 
north  of  this  are  a  series  of  high  meadows,  or  vegas,  estimated 
to  contain  44,000  acres.  Besides  this,  and  to  be  properly  con- 
sidered in  the  San  Juan  basin,  are  the  lands  on  either  side  of 
the  Canon  Largo,  Canon  Blanco  and  Canon  Gallego.  These  will 
include  the  land  along  the  river  and  down  to  the  6th  correction 
line,  north ;  south  of  this  line  there  are  24  townships  of  land,  the 
water  facilities  of  which  are  only  about  the  average  of  the  arid 
region.  They  are  covered  by  the  headwaters  of  the  Bio  Chaco 
or  Chusca  and  the  Amarillo.  At  present  this  land  is  devoted  to 
cattle  and  sheep  raising,  but  the  prospects  of  using  a  consider- 
able area  of  this  land  for  agriculture  are  very  favorable.  At 
present  there  is  no  demand  for  it  and  most  of  it  is  public  land. 
It  may  be  said  therefore  that  in  the  immediate  San  Juan 
valley  there  are  about  60,000  acres  of  land,  about  20,000  acres 
of  which  are  now  under  ditch.  A  large  area  outside  of  this,  on 
the  high  mesas  is  susceptible  of  irrigation,  and  will  ultimately 
be  added  to  the  irrigable  area  by  means  of  high  line  ditches. 

The  Animas  Valley. 

The  Animas  river  enters  the  county  just  east  of  the  103th 
meridian.    It  is  formed  by  the  junction  of  two  important  torren- 


(.M)  NEW  MEXICO. 


tial  streams,  and  will  irrigate,  if  properly  handled,  40,000  acres  of 
fruit  laud.  Of  this  amount  ten  or  12,000  acres  are  already  under 
ditch,  and  it  would  not  be  wise  to  advise  large  settlement  on  any 
new  lauds,  unless  some  scheme  were  devised  by  which  the  whole 
amount  of  the  water  could  be  handled  by  some  comprehensive 
authority.  This  river  flows  thirty  miles  within  San  Juan  county. 
The  farming  lands  begin  at  Cox's  crossing  and  take  in  a  strip 
varying  from  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  three  miles  in  width  and  about 
twenty-five  miles  in  length.  The  Animas  is  about  150  feet  wide, 
about  eighteen  inches  deep  at  low  water,  and  has  a  minimum  flow 
of  2,000  cubic  feet  per  second.  One  of  the  peculiarities  of  this  and 
the  San  Juan  river  is  that  the  bottoms  are  composed  of  beds 
of  small,  round,  water- worn  boulders,  of  unknown  depth.  More 
water  flows  in  this  boulder  bed  than  on  the  surface.  Along  in 
the  river  valley  proper  there  are  about  18,000  acres  of  good 
land,  the  most  important  area  of  which  is  from  Aztec  to  below 

Flora  Vista. 

Farmington  Glade. 

Besides  the  valley  of  the  Animas  there  is  an  important  area 
of  land  included  in  the  Farmington  Glade,  an  introvale  between 
the  Animas  and  La  Plata  rivers.  It  is  a  strip  of  country  two  to 
three  miles  wide  by  eighteen  miles  long.  It  will  aggregate 
25,000  acres  of  good  irrigable  land  well  adapted  to  fruit  raising. 
The  traces  of  an  ancient  Aztec  ditch  may  be  seen,  which  once 
irrigated  a  large  area  of  this  glade  from  the  Animas.  At  present 
8,000  acres  of  the  northern  portion  are  irrigated  by  a  ditch 
brought  in  from  the  La  Plata.  In  the  glade  and  beginning  at 
about  the  latitude  of  Aztec  is  a  fine  body  of  public  land,  subject 
to  desert  land  entry,  that  would  make  homes  for  a  small  colony. 
The  ditch  would  be  comparatively  inexpensive  as  a  natural  open- 
ing in  the  hill  side  affords  easy  entrance  to  the  glade.  If  water 
were  brought  to  this  place  there  is  no  better  piece  of  land  for 
raising  deciduous  fruits.  It  is  protected,  fertile  and  beautiful. 

The  1^ a  Plata  Valley. 

The  La  Plata  river  flows  in  a  deep  sandy  bed,  and  its  waters 
generally  disappear  in  the  last  week  of  August  or  the  first  week 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


of  September.  On  the  upper  part  of  this  river  after  it  enters 
San  Juan  county  there  are  about  8,000  acres  cultivated;  and  at 
Jackson,  near  its  mid-course,  there  is  a  small  Mormon  colony, 
who  till  about  1,000  acres.  The  river  has  an  average  fall  of 
forty  feet  to  the  mile,  is  about  thirty  feet  wide  and  has  a  mean 
average  flow  of  about  250  cubic  feet  per  second.  The  ultimate 
reclamation  of  lands  in  the  La  Plata  valley  will  be  large. 

Actual  Water  Resources. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  that  there  are  available 
from  these  three  rivers  0,250  cubic  feet  of  water  per  second. 
It  the  low  estimate  of  160  acres  to  each  cubic  foot,  this  is  suf- 
ficient to  irrigate  1,000,000  acres  of  land.  According  to  a  county 
pamphlet  issued  for  circulation  at  the  World's  Fair,  there  are 
175,000  acres  available  for  irrigation.  In  addition  to  the  value 
of  the  water  for  irrigation,  it  is  a  constant  source  of  water  power. 
The  San  Juan  and  Animas  are  constant  streams,  not  affected  by 
the  most  enduring  drouth.  The  wasted  power  of  their  waters 
would  furnish  heat,  light  and  electrical  motive  force  far  in  excess 
of  any  possible  need  of  this  county. 

Ditch  System. 

At  present  the  only  use  made  of  all  this  wealth  of  water  is  to 
irrigate  about  25,000  acres,  the  larger  part  of  which  is  under 
ditches  owned  by  small  associations  of  farmers.  There  are  four 
enterprises,  one  at  the  head  of  the  Farmington  Glade  and  one 
on  the  Solomon  and  Bloomfield  mesas,  under  the  control  of  Colo- 
rado capitalists ;  another  covering  the  Coolidge  mesa  and  some 
land  below  it  near  Olio  and  Fruitland ;  and  one  on  the  south  side 
of  the  San  Juan  between  Bloomfield  and  the  mouth  of  the  Ani- 
mas. These  are  all  incorporated  companies.  There  are  several 
very  promising  schemes  for  the  investment  of  capital,  the  prin- 
cipal of  which  is  to  take  two  long  high  line  ditches  out  of  the 
Animas,  one  on  either  side  and  distribute  water  to  the  available 
lands.  On  the  north  side  especially  this  would  cover  a  large 
area,  and  it  would  be  practicable  to  extend  this  ditch  onto  "the 
Meadows,"  heretofore  described. 


98  NEW  MEXICO. 


The  ditch  covering  the  Coolidge  mesa  is  under  the  management 
of  Frank  Coolidge,  whose  postoffice  is  Olio,  San  Juan  county, 
and  the  others  are  managed  by  Mr.  Joseph  Prewitt,  of  Durango, 
Colorado.  As  to  the  innumerable  small  ditches,'  the  county  com- 
missioners, or  county  clerk  at  Aztec,  San  Juan  county,  will  gladly 
give  the  inquirer  such  further  information  as  he  may  desire. 

Ancient  Civilization. 

Irrigation  and  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  thereby  is  not  a  new 
art  in  the  San  Juan  country.  The  traces  of  ancient  Pueblos  )iud 


surrounding  irrigating  canals  may  be  followed  throughout  the 
country.  On  the  south  side  of  the  Animas  and  skirting  the  bluffs 
is  to  be  noticed  a  ditch  of  higher  line  than  any  now  in  use.  It 
covers  all  that  side  of  the  valley  down  to  the  San  Juan.  On  the 
north  side  of  the  river  is  another  entering  the  Farmington  Glade. 
At  the  town  of  Aztec  the  foundations  of  more  than  a  dozen  large 
houses  are  to  be  found;  while  directly  across  the  river  is  a  large 
Pueblo,  of  which  one  three  story  house  still  remains,  It  is 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


estimated  that  this  house  was  originally  six  stories  high  and 
contained  upwards  of  1,000  apartments.  Over  600  rooms  are 
still  standing  and  in  good  state  of  preservation.  Further  down 
this  valley  many  other  ruins  are  noticeable,  and  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Fruitland  and  Olio  the  whole  valley  is  covered  with 
them.  These  pueblos  differ  from  the  others  in  New  Mexico  in 
that  they  are  not  built  in  inaccessible  places,  but  out  on  the  open 
mesas.  On  the  Mancos,  however,  and  at  other  points  are  clusters 
of  cliff  dwellings,  so  difficult  of  access  that  modern  ingenuity 
has  been  unable  to  penetrate  them. 

The  numbers  of  this  ancient  civilization  are  impossible  to 
calculate.  That  they  did  not  perish  from  natural  causes  is  plain. 
Everywhere  that  their  dwellings  have  been  entered,  either  in  the 
cliffs  or  the  valleys,  the  scene  is  terrible.  Here  a  little  group 
with  weapons  in  their  boney  fingers,  skulls  cloven  and  limbs 
broken,  in  another  room  a  dozen  human  beings  are  found,  the 
doors  and  windows  stuffed  with  half  burned  brush,  and  the 
skeletons  in  postures  showing  that  death  was  from  suffocation. 

A  Tradition. 

The  Navajoes,  Utes  and  Apaches  have  traditions  that  "eight 
old  men's  ages  ago,"  about  640  years,  their  fathers  destroyed 
all  these  people,  threw  their  bodies  in  the  rivers  and  that  they 
turned  to  fishes.  This  would  argue  that  the  population  was  so 
dense  as  to  deplete  the  streams  of  fish,  and  that  after  the  mas- 
sacre their  waters  were  restocked  by  rapid  multiplication. 

Aztec. 

The  modern  civilization  has  followed  the  same  lines  of  settle- 
ment as  did  the  ancient.  Aztec  is  the  county  seat,  situated  on 
the  southeast  bank  of  the  Animas.  The  maps  erroneously  place 
it  on  the  north.  It  is  on  the  site  of  the  Pueblo  before  described, 
and  is  a  flourishing  town.  It  has  a  bank,  several  large  stores, 
hotel  and  livery  and  stage  stables.  The  county  jail  is  a  well 
built,  steel  lined  adobe  structure.  The  surrounding  country  is 
well  cultivated,  the  farms  extending  up  and  down  the  river  for 


100  NEW  MEXICO. 


several  miles.  At  this  point  the  valley  is  about  two  miles  wide. 
Fruit,  alfalfa,  grain,  potatoes  and  all  the  root  crops  give  abun- 
dant harvests.  Apples  and  tomatoes  seem  peculiarly  adapted  to 
the  soil.  The  population  of  the  town  and  surrounding  country 
is  between  550  and  600  persons. 

Flora  Vista. 

This  little  village  and  vicinity  has  a  population  of  about  250 
souls.  It  is  situated  at  about  the  widest  part  of  the  Animas 
valley,  seven  miles  from  Aztec,  raises  the  same  crops  and  its 
orchards  are  spreading ;  alfalfa  fields  have  a  particularly  good 
appearance. 

Farmington. 

Farmington  and  Junction  City  are  situated  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Animas.  The  population  is  about  the  same  as  at  Aztec.  The 
location  is  very  beautiful. 

At  this  point  the  full  scenic  beauty  of  the  valley  reveals  itself. 
From  a  little  hill  overlooking  the  town  a  solid  plantation  of  three 
or  four  square  miles,  including  orchards,  alfalfa  fields,  grain  and 
meadow  is  seen.  Here  is  at  present  the  densest  population  of 
the  county;  and  the  widest  spread  of  cultivation.  The  three 
valleys  here  converge  into  the  main  valley  of  the  San  Juan. 
There  are  several  good  stores,  public  stables,  good  schools  and 
general  facilities.  Near  this  town  are  located  several  brick  kilns, 
a  saw  mill  and  a  roller  process  flour  mill.  It  is  a  very  pretty,  go 
ahead  place.  Its  citizens  are  full  of  energy  and  public  spirit. 

Largo. 

This  town  may  be  considered  the  center  of  population  on  the 
upper  San  Juan.  Taking  in  with  it  the  little  settlement  on  Pine 
river  and  at  Bloomfield,  the  population  is  between  1,000  and 
1,200  persons,  the  majority  of  whom  are  of  Spanish  descent. 
The  high  culture  of  the  fields,  orchards  and  vineyards  speaks 
well  for  the  progress  of  the  community ;  while  the  general  use 
of  modern  agricultural  implements  show  that  the  native  New 
Mexican  is  not  at  all  adverse  to  their  adoption. 


New  Mexico  Vegetables. 


r^Pt^ 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  101 

The  Lower  San  Juan. 

Olio,  Frnitland  and  Jewett  are  situated  on  the  San  Juan  below 
its  junction  with  the  La  Plata.  The  population  of  the  three  is 
about  600  persons.  The  greater  part  of  the  land  is  under  a  fine 
modern  canal  and  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  At  Fruitland  is 
one  small  orchard  of  seven  acres,  from  which  the  annual  net  return 
has  been  over  $2,500  per  annum  for  the  past  five  years.  This  is 
the  property  of  the  resident  Mormon  bishop  and  is  cultivated 
according  to  the  theory  of  his  people,  that  a  small  place  well  cared 
for  is  more  valuable  than  broad  acreage  poorly  farmed.  T  It  is 
one  of  the  best  instances  of  extensive  culture  in  the  Territory. 

La  Plata. 

This  place  can  hardly  be  called  a  town.  It  is  a  compact  farm- 
ing community,  however,  of  about  seventy  well  cultivated  home- 
steads at  the  head  of  the  La  Plata  valley.  On  the  western  side 
the  land  rises  in  three  terraces,  one  over  the  other,  every  one  of 
which  is  highly  cultivated.  The  sight  would  remind  one  more  of 
a  French  landscape  than  of  a  western  community  as  yet  removed 
from  railroads,  and  ten  years  ago  given  over  to  the  Indians  as  a 
hunting  ground.  Alfalfa  and  fruit  are  the  principal  productions. 
This  part  of  the  county  is  a  very  picture  in  its  picturesque 
fertility.  The  Aztecs  also  thought  well  of  it,  and  many  of  their 
monuments  in  the  shape  of  rudely  pictured  and  sculptured  rocks 
abound.  Its  early  history  is  interesting.  The  first  settlers,  who 
came  in,  persuaded  the  Utes  to  engage  in  a  target  match,  and 
after  they  had  caused  the  usually  wily  savages  to  expend  their 
ammunition,  quietly  effected  a  settlement. 

Crops. 

The  first  trees  were  planted  in  this  county  ten  years  ago,  and 
as  an  experiment  seemed  very  doubtful.  The  first  settlers  were 
principally  cattle  men,  who  knew  little  about  farming.  They 
profited  by  their  first  mistakes,  however,  and  prospered,  so  that 
the  reputation  of  these  valleys  is  known  all  over  the  southwest. 
The  southern  towns  of  Colorado,  outside  the  San  Luis  valley,  are 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


103 


almost  wholly  supplied  from  the  San  Juan  orchards.  So  remu- 
nerative has  fruit  culture  proved  that  in  1891,  23,000  trees  were 
planted,  and  in  1892  about  50,000.  The  planting  of  1893  is  not 
yet  accurately  known,  but  will  show  a  ratio  of  progress.  Last 
year  at  the  Albuquerque  Territorial  Fair  the  fruits  of  this  county 
took  the  sweepstakes  prize.  The  peaches  in  some  instances 
measured  nine  inches  in  circumference,  apples  thirteen  to  four- 
teen inches,  and  weighed  sixteen  to  nineteen  ounces.  Single 
acres  of  fruit  land  return  from  $400  to  $500 ;  and  in  one  orchard 
near  Farmiugton  are  three  trees,  of  whose  yield  an  accurate 
account  has  been  kept  for  four  years  past,  that  show  an  average 
return  of  $53  per  tree. 

Cereals  of  all  kinds  are  grown  here,  wheat  yielding  20  to  40 
bushels  per  acre ;  oats,  30  to  80  bushels ;  barley,  30  to  60  bushels ; 
rye,  15  to  30  bushels;  corn,  25  to  50  bushels.  A  ready  sale  is 
found  at  good  prices.  Current  prices  for  1893  were  as  follows: 
Wheat,  percwt.,  $1.40;  oats,  $1.50;  barley,  $1.40;  corn,  $1.50; 
bran,  per  ton,  $18.  Vegetables  of  every  variety  nourish,  from 
the  hardier  varieties,  such  as  Irish  potatoes,  turnips  and  beets, 
to  the  more  tender  melons,  tomatoes,  egg-plants,  etc. 

Alfalfa 

Is,  however,  the  staple  crop  in  this  county,  drouth  is  not  to  be 

feared  and  neither  frost  nor 
cold  endanger  it.  Owing  to 
the  advantageous  situation  of 
the  county  the  farmers  have 
taken  to  fattening  beef  cattle. 
For  this  purpose  the  sales  of 
alfalfa  are  large,  frequently 
amounting  to  from  500  to 
1,000  tons  to  a  single  buyer. 

From  1891  to  1892,  the  increase  in  alfalfa  production  amounted 

to  7,000  tons. 


104 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Prices  and  Profits. 

The  following  table  shows  the  estimated  fruit  yield  of  the 
county  and  the  average  market  price  for  181)3: 


PRICE 

YIELD 

PRICE 

Apples,  per  pound.  . 
Peaches, 
Pears. 
Plums, 
Grapes, 
Wine,  (new),  per  gal  . 
Cider,  per  gal  

4  cents 
5 
8 
6 
.3 
GO 
50 

900,000  Ibs. 
4G5,000    - 
10,000    " 
40,000    u 
412,600    " 
2,800  gals. 

Cherries,        pcnjt. 
Strawberries, 
Raspberries. 
Blackberries, 
Currants, 
Gooseberries. 

10  cents 
20 
20 
20 
8 
10 

Cider  vinegar,  per  gal 

40 

Alfalfa,  potatoes,  grain,  etc.,  will  average  about  as  given  in 
the  table  in  the  chapter  headed  "New  Mexico." 

Cost  of  I<and. 

The  average  price  of  land  will  range  from  $20  to  $40,  If 
bought  under  a  community  ditch,  this  price  will  also  include 
water  right,  and  the  annual  incidental  charge  for  water  will  only 
amount  to  a  few  cents  per  acre  or  about  a  weeks  work  during 
the  season  in  clearing  the  ditch.  If  purchased  from  a  corporation 
the  land  and  water  will  cost  about  $30  per  acre,  and  about  $1.25 
to  $1.50  per  acre  annual  rental.  This  is  the-usual  price  through- 
out the  arid  region. 

Mineral  Wealth. 

This  whole  county  is  underlaid  with  coal.  Near  Aztec,  LH 
Plata,  Farmiugton,  Olio,  Fruitland  and  Jewett,  large  veins  are 
opened.  The  average  price  of  coal  is  principally  the  cost  of 
hauling.  The  beds  are  so  generally  distributed,  and  the  coal  so 
easily  extracted  that  there  is  very  little  cost  for  mining.  None 
of  the  veins  are  opened  more  than  200  feet  as  yet;  but  they  run 
from  ten  to  twenty  feet  thick  of  pure  coal;  and  one  good  blast 
every  day  at  the  different  veins  will  supply  the  demand.  The 
agent  of  this  bureau  last  year  examined  all  these  mines,  and  the 
only  possible  fault  to  find  with  them  is  their  thickness,  most 
miners  prefering  veins  about  six  feet  thick,  so  that  they  can  work 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  105 

without  pillars.   The  almost  complete  absence  of  "bone"  or  slate 
in  the  San  Juan  coal  counterbalances  this  however. 

It  is  said  that  gold  and  metallic  iron  can  be  found;  and  the 
best  building  stone,  both  sandstone  and  granite,  abound.  The 
lower  part  of  this  valley  is  only  about  4,500  feet  above  sea  level. 
Coking  coal  is  found  adjacent  to  it.  The  best  mining  camps  of 
Colorado,  and  splendid  mineral  belts  in  New  Mexico  are  con- 
tiguous. When  railroads  penetrate  this  county  the  neighborhood 
of  Olio  will  afford  splendid  opportunities  for  large  smelters. 

The  Navajo  Reservation. 

This  Indian  reservation  takes  in  somewhat  more;  than  the 
western  half  of  the  county  and  covers  more  than  150,000  acres 
of  prime  irrigable  land.  The  Indians  make  no  use  of  it  what- 
ever; and  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  remain  closed  to 
modern  progress.  In  the  north  it  is  watered  by  the  San  Juan, 
and  through  the  center  flows  the  Chaco  or  Chusca  river.  As  it 
stands  at  present  it  is  a  barrier.  Opened  to  settlement  it  would 
cut  down  the  great  Navajo  reservation,  of  15,000,000  acres,  by 
about  one  million  and  a  quarter  acres,  useless  to  the  Indians. 
On  this  reservation  in  plain  sight  of  Fruitland  is  one  of  the  most 
gigantic  exposures  of  coal  known  in  the  world.  No  one  touches 
a  lump  of  it,  however.  The  Indian  does  not  want  it,  and  Uncle 
Sam  prevents  the  white  man. 

An  Experiment  Station. 

By  act  of  the  last  legislature  $5,000  was  appropriated  to  es- 
tablish a  branch  of  the  agricultural  experiment  station  in  this 
county.  During  the  summer  the  board  of  regents  made  an 
examination  of  the  different  sites  offered  for  this  purpose.  Sev- 
eral gentlemen  offered  to  donate  100  acres  under  ditch,  and  the 
board  is  now  considering  which  one  to  accept.  At  an  early  date 
this  station  will  be  in  operation,  and  the  farmers  afforded  a 
peculiar  opportunity  to  study  the  best  crops  to  cultivate. 


RIO  ARRIBA  COUNTY. 


This  county  presents  a  varied  and  diversified  contour.  In  the 
middle  and  east  it  is  marked  by  great  ranges  of  mountains.  The 
Continental  Divide  comes  down  through  its  center.  On  the  west 

the  water  flows  through  the 
San  Juan  system  towards 
the  Gulf  of  California,  on 
the  east  into  the  Rio  Gran- 
de and  thence  to  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  It  is  one  of  the 
back-bone  counties  of  the 
country.  Until  a  few  years 
ago  it  included  San  Juan 
county  and  extended  to  the  Arizona  line.  As  now  constituted  it 
lies  between  that  county  and  Taos,  and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by 
the  State  of  Colorado.  The  area  is  4,404,411  acres,  of  which 
2,100,000  is  available  for  arable  and  pastoral  purposes.  The 
eastern  and  central  portions  are  well  watered  and  mountainous, 
and  the  cultivable  land  here  is  found  in  the  sheltered  valleys, 
many  of  which  are  thousands  of  acres  in  extent,  others  comprise 
merely  the  narrow  river  bottoms.  The  western  portion  is  included 
in  the  high  rolling  mesas  and  plains  of  the  Continental  Divide. 
The  valley  lands  of  the  east  are  well  adapted  to  fruit  and  general 
crop  culture.  The  soils  are  rich  and  of  deep  alluvium.  The 
principal  water  course  is  the  Chama,  fed  by  the  Rio  Brazos,  Rio 
Nutrias,  the  Gallinas,  the  El  Rito,  the  Ojo  Caliente,  Canones. 
Bear  and  other  streams,  the  Rio  Grande  flows  through  its 
southeast  corner.  The  Rio  Puerco  of  the  East  through  its  south- 
west corner,  and  the  Los  Pinos  and  San  Antonio  rivers  through 
its  northeast  corner. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  107 

Irrigation. 

The  principal  agriculture  of  Eio  Xrriba  couuty  is  found  on 
the  Chama  and  its  tributaries,  on  the  Bio  Grande  and  San  An- 
tonio river.  It  is  all  conducted  under  irrigation,  and  according 
to  the  estimates  of  the  surveyor  general  of  New  Mexico,  there 
are  at  present  under  ditch  in  this  county  and  cultivated  29,623 
acres  of  land.  The  census  for  1890  reports  a  much  smaller  area. 
Indeed  the  figures  for  New  Mexico  on  this  subject  have,  by  some 
unaccountable  method,  been  reduced  and  minimized  to  a  mere 
fraction  of  the  actual  facts. 

It  may  safely  be  assumed,  however,  that  four  times  as  many 
acres  as  are  now  cultivated  may  be  brought  under  crop  by  a 
system  of  ditches  scientifically  constructed.  The  characteristic 
of  the  present  system  of  canals  is  that  it  covers  no  more  than 
the  first  river  bottoms  or  low  land.  The  ditches  are  all  commu- 
nal affairs,  from  three  to  twelve  feet  on  bottom,  and  run  out  so 
as  to  cover  the  most  easily  available  land.  Wherever  the  val- 
leys widen  out  for  a  few  miles  the  country  is  characterized  by 
a  bottom  along  the  river  from  about  one-half  to  a  mile  wide, 
flanked  on  either  side  by  a  level  mesa  rising  sheer  for  ten  or 
twenty  feet  above  the  water.  The  first  cultivators  rarely  irri- 
gated these  lands- which  are  by  far  the  more  valuable.  On  these 
slight  elevations  above  the  river  the  frost  leaves  the  ground  from 
ten  days  to  two  weeks  earlier  in  the  spring  than  in  the  bottom, 
and  does  not  settle  till  a  correspondingly  later  period  in  the  fall. 
This  is  an  inestimable  advantage.  In  Rio  Arriba  county  there 
are  available  in  the  first  bottoms  of  the  rivers  and  creeks  108,203 
acres,  of  which,  as  stated  before,  29,023  acres  are  cultivated.  This 
soil  is  composed  of  the  best  silt,  and  of  actually  inexhaustible 
fertility.  In  addition  to  this  there  are  78,580  acres  of  mesa  or 
bench  lands  easy  to  cover  with  modern  ditches.  Therefore  there 
are  available  and  ready  for  occupation  and  irrigation  at  least 
195,000  acres  in  this  county. 

Colonization. 

This  would  be  a  rich  prize  for  any  large  corporation,  as  the 
farms  of  this  county  should  all  be  gardens.  The  best  thing, 


108  NEW  MEXICO. 


however,  would  be  for  several  colonies  to  locate  on  some  of  the 
choicest  tracts.  Parties  of  from  twenty -five  to  100  families  could 
organize,  send  out  a  committee,  select  their  land,  have  their  ditch 
or  reservoirs  surveyed,  and  their  land  practically  ready  for  cul- 
tivation on  their  arrival'.  The  expense  of  such  a  project  would 
be  very  small  per  capita,  and  the  success  that  has  attended  all 
such  well  organized  efforts  in  Colorado  and  California  points  out 
a  sure  method  of  security.  Eio  Arriba  county  is  particularly 
well  situated  for  such  projects.  There  are  several  large  con- 
firmed land  grants,  whose  owners  would  be  glad  to  make  liberal 
arrangements  with  colonists,  and  who  can  give  absolute  title  to 
their  lands.  Another  advantage  is  that  in  this  county  there 
are  no  large  irrigation  corporations  to  overshadow  the  colonies. 
They  would  be  as  free  to  work  out  a  comfortable  future  and 
establish  happy  homesteads,  as  were  the  Union  colonists  who 
settled  the  country  around  Greeley.  They  succeeded  in  the  face 
of  tremenduous  odds  which  would  not  confront  the  colonist 
to-day. 

The  Rio  Puerco  Country.  , 

The  Rio  Puerco  heads  on  the  west  side  of  the  Nacimiento 
range  and  has  many  strong  flowing  affluents.  Its  valley  is  wide 
and  affords  excellent  opportunities  for  settlement.  Its  fertile 
soil  will  soon  be  utilized  by  a  large  irrigating  company. 

Abiquiu 

On  the  Chama  river,  about  twenty  miles  from  Chamita  and 
twenty  five  miles  from  Espanola,  is  surrounded  by  a  stock  raising 
and  agricultural  country.  It  is  also  rich  in  minerals.  Copper 
and  placer  gold  abound.  On  the  Arroyo  Cobra  copper  is  now 
being  extracted.  The  gold  fields  begin  where  the  Canones  creek 
empties  into  the  Chama.  They  extend  thence  north  and  occupy 
a  space  approximately  fifteen  miles  long  along  the  river  and 
six  miles  wide.  Claims  have  been  staked  out  in  an  almost  un- 
broken chain  from  Abiquiu  to  La  Gallina  creek.  The  gravel 
and  mesa  lands  possess  true  placer  characteristics ;  and  old  miners 
compare  the  appearance  and  topography  of  the  country  very 
favorably  with  the  Snake  river  placers  in  Idaho.  There  are  large 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY   1 


BY    THE    BUKEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION.  109 


companies  engaged  in  systematically  washing  out  this  dirt  and 
gravel;  and  about  $50,000  worth  of  machinery  will  soon  be  in 
place.  This  gold  is  very  fine  on  the  surface,  but  with  proper 
appliances  runs  from  thirty  to  eighty  cents  per  cubic  yard.  A 
small  number  of  good  claims  may  yet  be  located  on  this  ground. 

Monero 

Is  the  center  of  a  very  extensive  and  productive  coal  field.  It 
is  situated  near  the  Colorado  line  on  the  route  of  the  Denver  & 
Kio  Grande  railroad.  Last  year  20,000  tons  of  coal  were  shipped 
from  this  town.  These  fields  are  part  of  the  coal  beds  elsewhere 
described  in  this  book.  They  are  not  mere  isolated  deposits, 
but  part  of  a  wide  stretching  area  that  will  one  day  bring  New 
Mexico  to  the  front  as  a  manufacturing  state. 

Chama. 

This  is  an  American  settlement  of  great  importance,  situated 
on  the  Denver  &  Eio  Grande  road  in  the  extreme  northern 
portion  of  the  county  and  fifteen  miles  north  of  Tierra  Ainarilla, 
the  county  seat.  It  is  surrounded  by  pine  forests,  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  acres  in  extent.  At  and  in  the  neighborhood  are  located 
extensive  saw  mills,  whose  output  supplies  the  Denver  and  Pueblo 
markets.  Colonies  settling  in  this  county  would  find  a  cheap  sup- 
ply of  splendid  lumber  ready  to  their  hands  for  all  purposes. 
Besides  this,  it  is  the  shipping  point  for  fine  quarries  of  excellent 
sandstone,  whose  product  has  been  used  for  the  erection  of  the 
Colorado  State  Capitol,  one  of  the  handsomest  edifices  in  the  West. 
The  immense  herds  of  sheep  and  cattle  raised  in  this  county  are 
also  shipped  from  Chama.  A  private  line  of  railroad  runs  from 
this  point  to  Park  View  and  Tierra  Amarilla. 

The  saw  mills  in  the  vicinity  of  Chama  employ  several  hun- 
dred men  steadily ;  much  wool  is  also  shipped  from  this  point. 
The  country  around  it  raises  fine  potatoes  and  large  crops  of 
alfalfa  and  oats.  It  is  located  on  the  Tierra  Amarilla  grant, 
which  is  patented  and  confirmed  by  Congress,  and  title  to  lots 
and  lands  can  be  had  on  favorable  terms.  There  is  also  plenty 
of  mineral  in  the  mountains  surrounding  this  town,  and  in  due 


110 


NEW  MEXICO. 


course  it  will  in  all  probability  become  an   important  mining 
center.      Its  trade  is  large  and  continually  growing. 

Tier r a  Amarilla. 

This  town  is  the  county  seat  and  the  center  of  a  finely  culti- 
vated country.  Los  Ojos,  Park  View,  La  Pueute  and  a  number 
of  small  towns  surround  and  depend  upon  it.  Here  the  land  is 
covered  with  a  number  of  irrigation  ditches  and  large  crops  are 
produced.  Denver,  Pueblo  and  other  Colorado  towns  afford  a 
sure  and  convenient  market.  The  Good  Hope,  Eureka  Gulch 
and  Headstone  mining  districts  are  also  to  the  south  and  tributary 
to  Tierra  Amarilla.  They  produce  a  considerable  quantity  of 
both  placer  and  quartz  gold. 


&*»"   -^MM* -';., 

ssfftfl'1*' 


A  good  court  house  and  jail  are  located  here ;  the  trade  of  this 
town,  especially  in  live  stock,  wool  and  grain,  is  quite  large.  It 
is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  that  section  of  New  Mexico,  having 
been  settled  under  a  grant  from  the  Mexican  government  in  the 
thirties  and  is  an  important  point.  The  section,  of  which  it  is  the 
center,  is  well  watered  by  several  streams,  such  as  the  Chama, 
Nutrias,  Brazos  and  Willow  creek,  and  the  mode  of  irrigation 
is  improving;  several  thousands  of  acres  are  under  cultivation 
and  irrigation  in  the  valleys  mentioned.  It  has  a  population  of 
about  1,200;  its  location  is  picturesque  and  healthy;  good  fish- 
ing and  hunting  can  be  had  in  the  surrounding  country. 

Besides  the  above  advantages,  it  must  be  remembered  that  this 
town  is  the  center  of  all  that  vast  mesa  country  that  stretches 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  Ill 


down  from  the  ragged  peaks  of  the  Bocky  mountains  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  Territory,  and  which  gradually  swells  into 
the  broad  rolling  plateaus  of  the  Continental  Divide  in  the  west- 
ern portion.  This  country  affords  the  ideal  stock  and  cattle 
region.  The  elevation,  grass  and  water  are  perfect.  Drouth 
rarely  affects  this  section.  The  conditions  are  all  favorable  for 

% 

first  class  stock  farms;  while  the  timber  that  is  interspersed  in 
this  country  in  shape  of  "openings"  will  eventually  yield  a  large 

revenue. 

El  Rito. 

This  town  lies  in  a  healthful  valley  about  ten  miles  long  and 
from  three  to  five  miles  wide.  Copper  and  silver  mining  is  car- 
ried on  in  its  vicinity,  in  the  El  Bito  mountains,  and  is  becoming 
important.  A  good  deal  of  grain  is  raised  in  the  valley  and  the 
surrounding  mountains  are  well  timbered,  some  of  the  timber 
being  of  good  merchantable  variety.  The  trade  of  the  town  in 
wool,  live  stock  and  grain  is  quite  large. 

General  Features. 

>  This  county  now  exports  wheat  in  considerable  quantities, 
principally  from  the  valleys  of  the  Bio  de  los  Pinos,  the  Bio  San 
Antonio  and  the  Chama.  The  Gallinas  valley  is  cultivated  in 
the  very  best  modern  style  by  improved  agricultural  instruments. 
The  El  Bito,  Ojo  Caliente  and  Bear  Creek  valleys  are  all  fine 
producers  of  the  cereals.  The  fruit  region,  in  that  portion  of  the 
county  in  which  fruit  is  raised  for  export,  is  south  of  Embudo ; 
while  lower  down  at  Plaza  Alcalde  the  fruit  farms  are  worthy  of 
particular  mention,  not  only  on  the  ground  of  their  variety,  but 
of  the  abundant  yield.  The  large  and  small  deciduous  sorts 
Hourish  here  in  abundance  under  the  care  of  the  intelligent 
owners  and  cultivators. 

In  this  county  are  opportunities  for  investment  or  for  the 
making  of  homes  far  in  excess  of  any  other  community  outside 
of  New  Mexico.  Here  are  wide  stretching  mesas',  and  fertile 
silted  bottoms  capable  of  supporting  a  dense  and  prosperous 
population.  The  mines  of  gold,  silver,  coal  and  copper  are  suffi- 
cient to  supply  a  European  kingdom  with  mineral  wealth  enough 


112  NEW  MEXICO. 


for  the  respectable  support  of  a  throne.  The  supply  of  fine  pine 
timber  for  all  purposes  is  very  large,  and  will  hold  out  for  many 
years. 

The  Jicarrilla  Apaches. 

The  Jicarilla  Apache  Indian  resen7ation  is  situated  in  the 
northern  part  of  this  county :  the  reservation  contains  some  good 
land  and  some  large  bodies  of  water,  as  Horse  Lake,  Stinking 
Springs  Lake  and  several  other  lakes'.  The  headquarters  of  the 
agency  are  at  Santa  Fe  antl  a  sub-agency  is  established  at  Dulce, 
on  the  reservation.  The  Jicarrillas  are  absolutely  peaceable,  and 
have  many  children  at  the  several  Indian  schools  in  the  Territory. 
They  number  847  and  are  celebrated  basket  makers. 

Surveys  Needed. 

Owing  to  the  large  number  of  grants  in  this  county  but  few 
surveys  have  as  yet  been  made  therein ;  a  good  many  of  these 
grants  have  been  confirmed  during  the  past  year,  and  in  the  near 
future  surveys  of  these  will  be  made  and  much  more  information 
as  to  the  topography,  water  possibilities  and  resources  of  the 
county  will  be  gained.  Enough,  however,  is  known  now  to  make 
the  assertion,  that  in  precious  and  industrial  minerals,  in  coal 
deposits,  in  fine  and  extensive  tracts  of  merchantable  timber,  in 
agricultural  and  fruit  raising  possibilities  this  county  is  great, 
and  could  support  in  ease  and  plenty  at  least  five  times  the 
population  now  contained  therein. 

Railroads. 

The  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  crosses  the  country  from  East  to 
West  in  its  northern  part,  and  runs  through  a  most  picturesque, 
wild  and  beautiful  mountainous  country,  specially  rich  in  coal 
and  fine  timber ;  also  from  North  to  South  along  the  line  between 
Hio  Arriba  and  Taos  counties  through  the  great  canon  of  the  Kio 
Grande.  From  Ohama  several  short  spurs  for  the  purpose  of 
hauling  timber  and  lumber  radiate,  and  one  of  these  runs  from 
Chama  to  Tierra  Amarilla,  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles.  Daily 
trains  run  over  the  Antonito-Durango  division  West,  and  over 
the  Antonito-Santa  Fe  division  South. 


TAGS  COUNTY. 


This,  usually  known  as  the  "Garden  County  of  Taos,"  lies  in 
the  north  central  portion  of  New  Mexico,  and  is  bounded  by 
Colorado  on  the  north,  Kio  Arriba  county  on  the  west,  Colfax  on 

the  east  and  Santa  F6  on  the 
south.  It  is  traversed  from 
north  to  south  by  the  Kio 
Grande  river,  which  within 
its  boundaries  receives  the 
waters  of  the  Red,  Taos,  Em- 
budo  and  Ojo  Caliente  rivers 
and  several  smaller  streams. 
This  county  is  located  on 
the  west  side  of  the  eastern 
lirub  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  lying  north  of  Santa  Fe  and  north- 
west of  Las  Vegas.  Thus  far  it  has  been  outside  of  the  path  of 
the  main  lines  of  railroad,  its  nearest  connection  being  at  Ernbu- 
do,  via  the  Denver  &  Bio  Grande  railroad.  Since  the  completion 
of  the  present  rail  lines  the  agricultural  products  of  this  county 
have  been  cut  off  from  remunerative  markets  ;  but  in  the  old  days 
before  the  railroads,  all  New  Mexico  standing  an  equal  show,  the 
fruit  and  grain  of.  this  county  were  famous.  Large  quantities 
were  transported  as  far  as  Old  Mexico,  and  Taos  wheat  and  Taos 
flour  were  celebrated  and  much  valued  commodities. 

Railroad  Prospects. 

Under  the  present  circumstances  of  the  population  of  the  East 
pressing  for  land  and  homes  in  the  West,  if  a  direct  railroad 
connection  were  built  into  this  county,  say  from  Maxwell  City, 
on  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railroad,  it  would  doubtless 
be  populated  with  marvelous  rapidity. 


15 


114  NEW  MEXICO. 


A  branch  of  the  Union  Pacific  road  now  runs  from  Trinidad, 
Colorado,  to  Vasquez,  in  Coif  ax  county,  within  ten  miles  of  the 
eastern  boundary  of  Taos,  and  is  headed  for  the  rich  gold  fields 
and  agricultural  land  of  the  Taos  valley.  The  general  under- 
standing is  that  this  road  will  be  pushed  on  into  Taos  county. 
The  splendid  mines  at  Elizabethtown  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
range,  and  the  rich  mineral  districts  of  the  Eio  Hondo,  Copper 
mountain,  Taos,  Picuris  and  Arroyo  Hondo  on  the  western  side 
are  on  the  direct  line  of  this  road.  Besides  this  it  would  carry 
the  produce  of  one  of  the  richest  agricultural  valleys  in  the 
world.  With  the  building  of  this  road  a  sudden  change  will 
come  over  this  valley. 

A  new  survey  from  Maxwell  City,  on  the  Atchison,  Topeka  & 
Santa  F6  railroad,  has  just  been  finished;  this  survey  runs  up 
the  Cimarron,  then  crosses  by  the  Taos  pass,  the  Taos  range  and 
ends  at  a  point  about  a  mile  east  of  the  present  town  of  Taos, 
the  county  seat;  it  is  seventy-three  and  a  half  miles  long,  has  a 
maximum  curvature  of  eight  degrees,  and  a  grade  not  to  exceed 
two  per  cent;  it  goes  through  a  country  rich  in  precious  min- 
erals, coal,  iron,  timber  and  building  stone ;  the  chances  for  the 
construction  of  this  line  during  the  year  1894  are  very  good. 

The  Taos  Valley. 

The  Taos  valley  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque.  On  the  east 
it  is  surrounded  by  a  half  moon  of  mountains,  with  no  foot  hills 
extending  out  into  the  mesas  to  break  the  view  or  diminish  their 

O 

grandeur.  Several  deep  canoues  penetrate  these  mountains  for 
a  distance  of  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  miles  and  pour  their 
floods  out  onto  the  valley  lands,  where  they  may  be  easily  used 
for  irrigation.  Eleven  streams  issue  into  and  cross  this  valley 
in  a  western  direction,  draining  a  great  area  of  high  mountains. 
When  these  streams  reach  the  valleys  the  volume  of  some  of 
them  is  as  much  as  400  or  500  cubic  feet.  Taking  the  whole 
course  of  the  Rio  Grande  valley,  this  section  is  usually  known  as 
the  Taos  valley,  and  it  is  estimated  that  there  are  about  180,000 
acres  of  land  subject  to  the  influence  of  irrigation.  Streams  cross 


116  NEW  MEXICO. 


the  valley  at  intervals  of  from  three  to  four  miles,  and  the  ditches 
to  irrigate  every  acre  of  arable  land  would  be  comparatively  in- 
expensive. There  are  now  from  25,000  to  30,000  acres  irrigated 
and  cultivated  in  the  valley,  and  its  population  is  only  about 
10,000  people.  At  the  very  lowest  estimate  this  same  land  would 
support  fully  20,000  people,  and  with  close  and  intensive  culti- 
vation these  figures  could  be  increased  to  50,000,  which  would 
allow  a  ten  acre  fruit  farm  to  each  family  of  five  persons.  This 
area  to  the  Eastern  man  seems  very  small,  but  when  it  is  con- 
sidered that  one  small  orchard  of  five  acres  near  Taos  produced 
over  $400  an  acre,  ten  acres  therefore  intensely  cultivated  would 
give  a  gross  income  of  $4,000.  How  many  farmers  of  the  East 
realize  such  a  sum  from  160  acres  of  diversified  crops?  Of  course 
it  must  be  understood  that  this  money  return  per  acre  is  from 
trees  in  full  bearing ;  but  it  is  by  no  means  excessive  or  a  prize 
yield,  it  is  simply  what  can  be  done  with  average  good  culture. 

Speaking  of  the  productiveness  of  the  soil  of  Taos  county,  one 
of  the  earliest  explorers  says:  "The  harvest  for  one  year  is  suffi- 
cient for  seven.  When  they  begin  to  sow,  the  fields  are  covered 
with  corn  that  has  not  been  gathered."  When  this  was  written 
the  population  was  very  much  smaller  than  the  present.  Taking 
corn,  the  crop  mentioned,  the  yield  will  be  well  up  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  eighty  bushels  per  acre,  and  other  crops  will  be  in 
proportion. 

On  the  western  side  of  the  river  the  valley  is  practically  devoid 
of  streams  suitable  to  supply  water  for  irrigation.  There  is, 
however,  in  contemplation  a  mammoth  canal,  to  be  constructed 
from  a  point  near  Conejos,  Colorado,  to  water  these  lauds.  Large 
reservoirs  to  store  the  surplus  waters  of  the  Bio  Grande  in  natural 
depressions  on  the  table  lands  are  to  be  a  feature  of  this  enter- 
prise. In  1890  a  start  was  made  on  the  building  of  this  canal, 
but  owing  to  the  large  amount  of  money  necessary  to  complete 
it,  the  enterprise  fell  through.  Such  an  enterprise  would  irrigate 
more  than  100,000  acres  of  land  west  of  the  Bio  Grande.  This 
company  was  known  as  the  Taos  Valley  Irrigation  Company.  If 
this  scheme  would  be  carried  into  effect  by  some  company  well 


Fruit  Exhibit,  World's  Fair,  Chicago. 


OF  THE 

IVERSITV 

OF 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  117 


equipped  with  capital,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  it  would  yield 
large  returns  on  the  investment. 

The  whole  of  this  valley  is  well  sheltered.  The  average  eleva- 
tion is  about  7,000  feet.  It  is  a  continuation  of  the  famous  San 
Luis  Valley  of  Colorado ;  but  much  better  situated  in  the  way  of 
elevation,  character  of  the  soil,  water  and  shelter  than  that  much 
advertised  region. 

Products. 

The  fruits  and  grains  of  the  temperate  zone  nourish;  while  it 
is  the  home  of  such  vegetables  as  potatoes,  beets,  turnips,  pars- 
nips, onions  and  in  fact  of  all  the  root  crops.  The  quantity  and 
flavor  of  these  are  unexcelled.  One  plant  especially  would  grow 
well  here.  That  is  celery.  It  is  essentially  a  marsh  plant;  and 
the  novice  in  irrigation,  but  who  is  acquainted  with  the  general 
routine  of  its  culture  in  the  humid  region,  can  hardly  make  a 
mistake  in  raising  it.  The  average  price  of  this  product  on  the 
farm  is  sixty  cents  per  dozen  bunches.  The  price  in  Taos  county 
would,  however,  range  from  five  to  ten  cents  higher  on  account 
of  the  proximity  of  large  mining  camps. 

Alfalfa  is  a  staple  product,  and  yields  about  four  tons  per  acre. 
The  price  in  this  county  will  average  about  $12  per  ton.  This 
largely  productive  forage  plant  seems  to  find  as  good  a  home  here 
as  on  its  indigenous  soil. 

Fruits. 

During  the  past  half  a  dozen  years  considerable  attention  has 
been  given  to  fruit  culture.  The  cry  was  that  good  fruit  could 
not  be  raised  at  such  an  elevation.  This,  however,  has  been 
disproved  by  the  profits  realized  from  several  orchards.  At 
Banchos  de  Taos  there  is  an  orchard  of  thirty  acres.  It  shows 
what  the  Taos  valley  soils  can  do  under  irrigation  in  the  way  of 
raising  choice  deciduous  fruits.  Apples,  peaches,  pears,  plums, 
apricots  and  nectarines  are  raised  to  perfection,  and  are  remark- 
able for  their  juiciness,  size,  coloring  and  flavor. 

It  should  be  remembered,  that  the  irrigator  besides  controlling 
the  amount  of  water  that  his  plants  receive  during  the  growing 


118 


NEW  MEXICO. 


aud  ripening  season  to  a  limited  extent,  controls  the  seasons.  A 
late  frost  does  not  menace  his  fruit,  for  the  reason  that  he  can 
keep  the  icy  cold  snow  waters  running  in  his  orchard  until  all 
danger  is  past.  At  one  and  the  same  time  this  flow  permeates 
the  ground,  mellowing  it  for  the  influence  of  the  sun  when  the 
season  once  sets  in,  and  retards  the  buds  from  starting  during 

the  calm,  still, 
warm  days  of  early 
spring,  to  be  nip- 
ped and  killed  by  a 
cold  night.  One 
nursery  man  says: 
"In  the  spring  I 
keep  water  run- 
ning in  my  ditches 
even  if  it  freezes 
every  night.  The 
water  under  the  ice 
is  much  warmer 
than  the  surround- 
ing air,  but  not 
warm  enough  to 
start  growth,  while 
at  the  same  time  it 
prepares  the  roots 
for  the  healthy  in- 
fluence of  the  sun- 
shine. In  the  fall 

I  also  keep  the  water  running  until  the  cold  weather  has  well 
settled.  The  water  is  then  warmer  than  the  air.  It  prevents  the 
frost  from  entering  the  ground  and  allows  the  trees  to  gradually 
accustom  themselves  to  cold  weather."  Taking  this  hint  in  con- 
nection with  the  usual  methods  of  irrigation  and  the  problem  of 
fruit  raising  is  practically  solved. 

The  attention  of  farmers  in  Taos  county  will  be  more  generally 
directed  to  fruit  culture  hereafter  on  account  of  the  growing  im- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  Ill) 

portance  of  its  mining  camps.  Hundreds  of  miners  have  entered 
the  county  during  the  past  year.  Their  locations  are  generally 
turning  out  well,  and  their  wants  must  be  supplied  from  the 
neighboring  farms. 

Water. 

The  Eio  Grande  river  is  the  principal  water  course ;  but  it  cuts 
through  the  valley  in  a  canon  about  500  feet  deep.  At  places  its 
bed  sinks  abruptly  from  the  high  table  lands  or  cuts  through 
mountain  spurs  The  scene  is  grand,  sometimes  awful.  That 
part  of  its  course  known  as  the  Taos  canon  is  so  deep  and  abrupt 
that  it  is  one  of  the  remarkable  gorges  of  the  world.  The  flow 
of  the  river  is,  however,  of  .considerable  volume  and  constant. 
To  utilize  it  for  irrigation  the  ditches  must  be  taken  out  of  the 
river  at  some  point  in  the  San  Luis  valley.  This  expensive 
construction  will,  however,  only  be  necessary  to  water  the  western 
side  of  the  valley.  The  eastern  side  is  covered  by  several  streams. 
None  of  them  of  great  volume,  but  of  sufficient  flow  to  cover  the 
lands  on  either  side  of  their  banks.  Capital  and  population  are, 
however,  necessary  to  utilize  these  resources.  Either  large  cor- 
porations must  take  hold  and  make  the  country  fit  for  occupation, 
or  colonies  of  settlers  each  with  a  small  sum  per  capita,  but  the 
aggregate  of  which  would  be  sufficient  to  construct  substantial 
works,  must  take  up  locations  sufficient  for  their  wants.  On  the 
eastern  side  of  the  valley  there  are  many  such  opportunities. 
On  the  west  the  proposition  is  too  expensive  for  a  colony  to 
attempt. 

Population. 

The  population  of  Taos  county  has  been  considerably  increased 
during  the  past  year  by  a  great  influx  of  miners.  It  may  be 
conservatively  estimated  at  from  11,000  to  12,000  persons. 

Mining. 

The  great  development  of  the  past  year  in  mining  is  principally 
upon  the  western  slopes  of  the  Eocky  mountains, jand  includes 
the  Eio  Hondo,  Copper  mountain,  Taos,  Picuris  and  Arroyo 
Hondo,  and  two  large  placer  beds  on  the  Bio  Colorado  and  Eio 


120  NEW  MEXICO. 


Grande.  During  the  past  year  there  has  been  a  large  immigra- 
tion to  the  first  four  named  districts.  These  include  several 
hundred  good  claims,  both  lode  and  placer  mines.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  give  exact  figures  of  the  number  of  miners  who  have 
located  in  this  region  during  the  past  year,  but  it  is  supposed 
the  total  will  be  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  1,000  people, 
A  new  town  —  Amizett — has  been  laid  out,  and  a  newspaper  with 
a  guaranteed  subscription  list  of  several  hundred  has  been  started. 
The  mines  here  are  all  rich.  Picked  specimens  of  ore  from 
the  surface,  pounded  up  in  a  mortar  and  washed  out  have  yielded 
at  the  rate  of  $20,000  of  gold  to  the  ton,  and  the  general  average 
of  the  ore  will  be  about  $250  per  ton.  The  ore  as  now  developed 
is  mostly  free  milling,  and  the  croppings  have  been  traced  and 
located  for  miles.  This  is  not  one  of  the  widely  heralded 
"booms,"  so  common  in  western  history,  but  is  a  healthy  and 
natural  growth.  Most  of  those  who  have  gone  into  these  camps 
are  of  the  sturdy  Colorado  miner  type,  who  knows  ore  when  he 
sees  it.  It  is  too  early  to  predict  with  absolute  certainty  the 
success  of  these  beds,  but  none  who  have  located  have  left,  and 
the  general  opinion  is  that  some  of  the  finest  mines  in  the  world 
have  been  discovered.  The  country  has  always  been  regarded 
as  a  great  gold  region. 

Mica  and  Tin. 

At  Petaca,  a  small  Mexican  village  some  twelve  miles  west  of 
Tres  Piedras,  veins  of  ferruginous  ore  are  found  with  the  mica 
beds.  These  have  been  very  carefully  assayed,  arid  carry  from 
one-fourth  to  one-half  per  cent  of  tin.  None  of  the  leads,  how- 
ever, have  been  worked  more  than  four  or  five  feet,  and  it  is 
confidently  expected  that  when  the  veins  are  properly  opened  by 
thorough  investigation,  a  paying  industry  will  be  developed. 
The  dictum  that  no  tin  exists  in  the  United  States  is  regarded 
by  good  miners  as  nonsense.  Yearly  there  is  sent  to  England 
alone  $25, 000, 000  for  tin.  The  development  of  these  mines  would 
doubtless  keep  a  large  percentage  of  this  money  at  home.  Be- 
sides this  the  country  around  Tres  Piedras  and  Petaca  is  very 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION.  121 


rich  and  fertile.  It  is  well  timbered,  has  a  great  amount  of 
agricultural  land  absolutely  idle,  and  has  good  railroad  facilities. 
Tres  Piedras  annually  ships  from  her  saw  mills  a  large  quantity 
of  lumber,  and  some  of  the  best  mica  mined. 

Principal  Towns. 

Fernandez  de  Taos  is  the  county  seat,  situated  about  the  center 
of  the  county  and  on  the  Hio  de  Taos.  It  is  connected  by  good 
stage  lines  with  Tres  Piedras  and  Embudo  on  the  west  and 
Elizabeth  town  on  the  east,  in  Coif  ax  county.  This  town  has 
schools,  churches,  a  bank,  a  newspaper  and  four  large  mercan- 
tile establishments. 

Ranchos  de  Taos 

is  located  about  four  miles  south  of  Fernandez  de  Taos.  It  has 
several  large  flouring  mills,  is  surrounded  by  some  beautiful 
orchards,  is  the  center  of  60,000  acres  of  fertile  land,  of  which 
about  one- fifth  is  under  cultivation,  has  several  schools,  is  the 
headquarters  of  the  Presbyterian  missions,  and  conducts  a  large 
and  growing  trade  with  all  the  surrounding  country. 

Arroyo  Hondo,  Arroyo  Seco  and  Colorado  are  thriving  little 
towns  north  of  Taos,  and  are  engaged  in  mining,  agriculture  and 
stock  raising. 

Ojo  Caliente, 

or  Hot  Spring,  is  a  well  known  health  resort  in  the  southwestern 
part  of  the  county.  A  full  description  of  this  spring  is  given 
in  another  part  of  this  book.  The  town  is  connected  by  a  daily 
stage  with  Barranca,  twelve  miles  east  on  the  Denver  &  Rio 
Grande  railroad. 

Historical  Taos. 

The  towns  of  Taos,  historically  speaking,  are  very  important. 
There  are  two  villages  of  the  Pueblo  Indians  in  the  county, 
namely,  Taos  Pueblo,  containing  374  inhabitants,  and  Picuris 
Pueblo,  107  inhabitants. 

The  first  printing  press  in  New  Mexico  was  set  up  in  Taos  by 
Father  Martinez  in  1837.  He  also  taught,  what  might  be  called, 

16 


NEW  MEXICO. 


the  first  public  school  iu  the  Territory  about  that  year.  In  the 
revolution  of  1680  the  Taos  Indians  took  a  very  prominent  part 
and  one  of  their  number,  for  a  while,  was  chief  pf  the  rebellious 
Indians.  There  was  also  here  an  incipient  rebellion  against  the 
United  States  after  the  occupation  in  1846,  wherein  Governor 
Carlos  Bent  was  assassinated,  and  which  ended  in  a  very  sum- 
mary manner  by  some  of  the  ring  leaders  being  captured,  tried 
and  shot. 

Taos  was  a  halting  place,  stop-off  and  rendezvous  for  the  over- 
land traders  over  the  Santa  F6  trail  for  many  long  years,  and  a 
very  important  trade  center  during  that  time.  It  was  the  home 
of  the  celebrated  scout  and  Indian  fighter,  Kit  Carson,  and  his 
remains  are  buried  there  now.  The  towns  of  Hanchos  de  Taos 
and  Fernandez  de  Taos  and  the  Taos  Pueblo  are  really  one 
community,  and  they  occupy  one  of  the  richest,  most  picturesque 
and  best  valleys,  not  only  in  New  Mexico,  but  ih  the  entire 
country.  Their  agricultural,  horticultural  and  mining  possi- 
bilities are  great,  and  with  railroad  connection,  they  will  be 
among  the  most  prosperous  communities  of  the  southwest. 


COLFAX  COUNTY. 


Colfax  county  lies  in  the  northern  tier  of  counties,  between 
Taos  and  the  newly  created  county  of  Union.  The  elevation  of 
its  mesa  or  table  lands  ranges  from  5,000  to  8,000  feet  above  sea 
level.  On  the  west  the  Taos  mountains  and  on  the  north  the 
Katon  range  dominate  the  valleys  and  define  the  drainage  areas. 


Raton. 

The  scenery  is  picturesque,  and  the  country  rich  in,  mineral  and 
agricultural  wealth.  The  landed  values  in  this  county  are  large, 
and  in  improvements  on  her  real  estate  the  county  has  done  well. 
This  is  the  result  of  a  wise  policy  of  improvement  inaugurated  by 
its  inhabitants  under  the  lead  of  the  directorate  of  the  Maxwell 
grant. 

Principal  Towns. 

The  principal  towns  are  Baton,  Blossburg,  Springer,  Eliza- 
bethtown,  Catskill,  Maxwell  City  and  Cimarron. 

Raton. 

This  beautiful  little  town  is  located  on  the  line  of  the  Atchisou, 
Topeka  &  Santa  F6  railroad.      This  corporation  has  built  its 


124  NEW  MEXICO. 


largest  railroad  machine  shops  south  of  Topeka  at  this  point. 
The  population  is  somewhat  over  3.000  people,  and  a  person 
coming  into  the  town  and  looking  at  the  great  number  of  new 
houses  in  course  of  construction,  would  probably  put  it  down  as 
a  Western  boom  town.  Nothing,  however,  would  be  further 
from  the  truth.  Although  during  the  past  summer  over  fifty  new 
houses  have  been  built,  their  purpose  was  to  accommodate  imme- 
diate occupants;  and  the  majority  have  been  turned  over  to  the 
occupants  in  fee  simple,  on  long  time.  This  constant  and  grow- 
ing improvement  is  made  necessary  by  the  business  demands  of 
the  town.  Wages  of  artizans  and  mechanics  are  good.  The 
compensation  of  the  railroad  employes  and  operatives  are,  of 
course,  up  to  the  highest  figure,  and  these  set  the  mark  for  other 
employments.  This  also  attracts  a  number  of  first  class  mer- 
chants, whose  stores  afford  at  reasonable  prices  all  the  necessaries 
of  life.  The  people  are  public  spirited  and  wide  awake;  and 
among  other  public  improvements  may  be  mentioned  a  splendid 
water  works  and  service,  and  a  public  school  building  costing 
$15,000.  In  addition  to  this,  Raton  lies  in  the  center  of  an 
immense  coal  belt,  whose  area  covers  many  thousand  acres. 
Good  mines  of  this  fuel  are  open,  almost  in  the  town  limits,  and 
coal  retails  at  this  point  at  from  $1.50  to  $3.00  per  ton.  The 
elevation  is  6,668  feet,  and  as  Raton  lies  in  a  sheltered  nook  of 
the  mountains,  the  climate  is  mild  and  equable  during  both  winter 
and  summer. 

Blossburg. 

A  few  miles  from  Raton  is  situated  the  mining  town  of  Bloss- 
burg, with  over  1,800  inhabitants.  Large  coal  mines  are  now 
in  operation,  and  during  1892  there  were  shipped  from  this 
point  and  Raton  244,995  tons  of  coal;  and  303  miners  were  kept 
in  constant  employment.  In  the  first  eight  months  of  1SD3, 
245,907  tons  were  shipped.  This  coal  is  sold  in  carload  lots  at 
from  $1.00  to  $1.50  per  ton,  and  retails  in  the  towns  of  Colfax 
county  at  from  $1.50  to  $3.00  per  ton.  As  stated  above  this  coal 
deposit  covers  500,000  acres.  It  is  of  the  very  best  bituminous 
character,  makes  an  unsurpassed  steam  coal,  and  its  commercial 


V>     OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 

W^L'FORJi^ 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  125 

value  is  further  enhanced  by  its  perfect  coking  qualities.  As  a 
domestic  fuel  it  is  very  highly  prized,  and  gives  out  a  cheerful 
glow  equal  to  the  celebrated  and  costly  cannel  coal. 

Future  Prospects. 

The  future  of  Raton  and  Blossburg  is  very  auspicious.  They 
lie  in  the  direct  pathway  of  commerce  in  the  table  land  region. 
To  the  east  are  the  vast  fields  known  as  the  "great  plains." 
Various  railroad  projects  are  talked  about,  and  preliminary  sur- 
veys have  been  made  of  some  routes  very  favorable  to  those 
places.  If  other  roads  should  pass  their  neighborhood,  or  center 
at  Eaton,  these  coal  mines  would  command  the  markets  of  Kan- 
sas. As  it  is  they  send  their  product  as  far  as  Mexico,  where 
they  supply  the  Mexican  Central,  the  Sonora,  and  Southern 
Pacific  with  steam  fuel. 

Springer. 

The  county  seat,  Springer,  is  the  next  town  of  importance. 
Its  population  is  about  900  souls,  and  it  is  the  center  of  a  rich 
and  fertile  country.  It  has  fine  water  works  for  domestic  sup- 
ply, and  is  under  the  big  irrigation  system  of  the  same  name. 
It  is  the  market  of  about  25,000  acres  of  land  under  irrigation, 
and  will  unquestionably  become  a  town  of  importance  and  wealth. 
The  county  court  house  is  commodious  and  excellently  adapted 
to  business.  During  the  past  summer  a  school  house,  costing 
$10,000,  has  been  erected.  The,  town  is  progressive,  and  as  it 
is  situated  on  the  main  line  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa 
Fe  railroad,  getting  the  full  accommodation  of  its  best  service, 
it  is  bound  to  go  to  the  front.  Near  Springer  are  located  three 
good  artesian  wells.  The  country  around  this  to^n  lies  in  the 
basin  of  the  Cimarron  valley,  and  the  prospects  of  developing  a 
large  artesian  basin  is  as  good  as  at  any  of  the  points  now  known 
where  this  water  is  abundant.  Near  Springer  there  are  extensive 
deposits  of  cement,  which  are  being  worked  to  some  extent,  and 
in  the  near  future  will  constitute  a  considerable  element  in  the 
commerce  of  this  section. 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Catskill 

is  a  new  town  of  500  inhabitants,  on  a  lately  constructed  branch 
of  the  Union  Pacific  railway.  Several  large  coke  and  charcoal 
ovens  have  been  erected  at  this  point,  and  eight  large  saw  mills 
are  in  constant  operation.  The  purpose  is  to  extend  this  branch 
road  on  to  Elizabethtown,  in  the  Taos  mountains,  and  thence 
into  the  fertile  valleys  of  Taos  county.  This  will  probably  be 
done  during  the  coming  season,  and  will  use  all  the  lumber, 
coke  and  timber  that  can  be  put  out  from  the  neighborhood  of 
Catskill. 

Maxwell  City 

is  a  new  town  laid  out  and  projected  by  the  Maxwell  Grant 
company,  and  contains  at  present  about  200  people.  Adjacent 
to  it  is  the  great  stock  and  grain  farm  of  the  grant  company, 
comprising  over  4,000  acres. 

Elizabethtown, 

is  in  the  center  of  one  of  the  best  gold  sections  developed  in  the 
United  States.  It  has  a  permanent  population  of  300.  Its  mines 
and  resources  were  treated  at  large  in  the  article  on  "Mining"  in 
New  Mexico.  As  stated  above,  railroad  connection  will  soon  be 
had,  and  the  country  promises  a  magnificent  development. 

Irrigation  and  Agriculture. 

To  support  a  permanent  population,  any  region  must  produce  a 
sufficient  food  supply.  Take  two  instances  in  point-.  The  gold  and 
silver  discoveries  in  California  and  Nevada  quickly  populated 
those  States,  and  their  admission  to  the  Union  was  very  speedy. 
The  latter,  however,  neglected  her  agricultural  resources.  She 
has  contributed  a  billion  of  dollars  to  the  national  wealth,  and 
is  still  a  rich  state  so  far  as  mineral  is  concerned,  but  because 
of  a  backward  agriculture,  her  population  has  dwindled  to  a  mere 
fraction  of  the  number  necessary  to  support  her  civic  dignity. 
California  on  the  other  hand  is  progressing  rapidly  in  all 
directions. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  127 


The  promoters  of  the  interests  of  Colfax  county  have  wisely 
determined  that  agriculture  is  the  basic  industry,  and  that  on  its 
development  depends  the  permanency  and  soundness  of  future 
progress.  It  may  be  taken  as  granted  that  where  fertile  fields 
and  comfortable  communities  adjoin  rich  mineral  deposits,  some 
of  the  more  restless  and  ambitious  will  be  constantly  in  the  hills 
prospecting.  Therefore  a  short  review  of  the  conditions  and 
prospects  of. the  farmer  in  this  county  will  be  timely. 

Physical  Features. 

The  Taos  and  Sangre  de  Cristo  ranges  on  the  west  and  the 
Eaton  range  on  the  north  form  almost  a  right  angle,  the  sides 
of  which  are  about  sixty  miles  loug.  Within  this  space  rise  the 
Red,  Vermejo  and  Cimarron  rivers  and  their  numerous  tribu- 
taries. These  drain  a  region  of  perpetual  snows,  and  water  a 
wide  and  fertile  mesa  known  as  the  Raton  table  land.  Within 
this  area  are  two  main  systems  of  irrigation  known  as  the  Ver- 
mejo and  Springer. 

The  Springer  Canals. 

The  ditches  known  as  the  Springer  system  of  irrigation  take 
their  water  from  the  Cimarron  just  beyond  the  mouth  of  the 
Ponil  river.  Six  miles  beyond  the  head  gate  the  canal  divides 
into  two  main  laterals.  The  grade  of  the  main  canal  is  five  and 
a  half  feet  to  the  mile,  twenty  feet  wide  on  the  bottom  and  four 
feet  deep;  at  the  water  surface  it  is  about  forty  feet  wide.  The 
fall  of  the  Cimarron  river  is  thirty  feet  to  the  mile,  necessitating 
a  heavy  grade  in  the  main  ditch  to  carry  the  water  out  of  the 
river  sufficiently  fast.  Besides  the  direct  drainage  of  the  Cimar- 
ron and  Ponil  rivers  the  water  of  the  Springer  ditch  is  reinforced 
by  the  flow  of  the  Van  Bremer,  Cerroso  and  Little  Cimarron, 
the  combined  streams  taking  up  the  drainage  of  forty  miles  of 
the  Taos  and  Sangre  de  Cristo  mountains,  whose  average  eleva- 
tion is  over  10,000  feet,  and  whose  peaks  tower  18,000  feet  high. 
The  Pacific  passage  winds,  in  their  career  over  this  range,  are 
wrung  dry  of  their  last  moisture,  and  by  seepage  and  surface  flow, 
it  all  finds  its  way  into  this  system  of  irrigating  canals.  Con- 


128  NEW  MEXICO. 


sidering  the  immense  basin,  the  heavy  snow  and  rainfall  on  the 
mountain  elevations,  which  will  average  from  fifteen  to  twenty 
feet  of  snow  on  the  level,  22,000  acres,  the  area  irrigated  by  the 
Springer  ditch,  is  very  small.  This  snow  fall  reduced  to  water 
measurement  will  give  about  fifty  inches  of  water  falling  on  the 
thousands  of  acres  of  mountain  peaks  to  be  used  on  the  irrigated 
lands. 

In  1890,  the  United  States  Agricultural  Department,  through 
the  Irrigation  Inquiry,  caused  an  expert  examination  to  be  made 
of  this  country  and  its  irrigation.  In  a  resume  of  the  official 
report  it  says:  ''There  is  no  question  of  the  water  supply  being 
equal  to  all  the  wants.  If  all  the  land  were  sold  under  the 
Springer  system,  any  demand  for  water  would  have  been  sat- 
isfied.'1 

L,akes  find  Reservoirs. 

The  Springer  canals  do  not,  however,  depend  alone  on  the 
flow  of  the  rivers.  The  grades  here  are  so  steep,  that  the  melted 
snow  and  rain  run  off  very  rapidly.  To  overcome  this,  the  man- 
agement of  these  ditches  have  constructed  a  series  of  reservoirs 
along  the  lines  of  the  canals.  The  Springer  Lake  reservoir  has 
a  capacity  of  5,000  acre  feet,  and  besides  this  there  are  four 
smaller  reservoirs  aggregating  1,200  acre  feet.  An  acre  foot  is 
twelve  inches  deep  of  water  over  an  acre  of  ground,  and  is  suf- 
ficient, if  properly  applied,  to  mature  a  crop.  Besides  this,  owing 
to  the  summer  floods  in  the  main  streams  of  this  region,  these 
reservoirs  can  be  filled  over  and  over  again,  thus  permitting  a 
continual  stream  in  the  ditches  for  the  purposes  of  irrigation. 

Vermejo  System. 

The  headgate  of  this  system  of  canals  is  situated  above  Dawson, 
oil  the  Vermejo  river,  a  stream  which  rises  in  the  angle  of  the 
Saugre  de  Cristo  and  the  Baton  mountains,  and  is  fed  by  a 
perpetual  flow  of  melted  snow  from  their  crests  and  deep  canons. 
The  river  itself  is  fed  by  a  wide  net  work  of  canon  streams. 
The  canals  are  constructed  to  irrigate  30.000  acres.  The  main 
canal  is  the  same  size  and  depth  as  the  Springer  works.  The 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  12U 


fall  of  the  Vermejo  is  very  steep,  nearly  fifty  feet  to  the  mile, 
and  its  waters  run  off  very  rapidly.  This,  however,  is  guarded 
against  by  the  construction  of  twenty  reservoirs  along  the  lines 
of  the  canals.  The  largest.  Lake  Nos.  7  and  8,  as  it  is  called, 
holds  11,000  acre  feet  of  water.  Two  others.  Oyster  Lake  and 
Laguna  Madre,  contain  3,000  and  2,000  acre  feet,  respectively; 
the  seventeen  others  are  rather  small  and  impound  a  total  of 
4,200  acre  feet.  This  storage  capacity  is  many  times  increased 
by  reason  of  the  fact  that  they  may  be  drained  and  refilled  sev- 
eral times  during  the  season. 

The  construction  of  this  system  of  ditches  is  similar  to  the 
Springer  works.  Both  have  the  same  grade,  and  after  a  few 
miles  from  the  headgate  divide  into  two  main  laterals  which 
distribute  the  waters  to  the  fields.  The  capacity  of  this  ditch* 
may  be  greatly  increased  by  extending  the  ditches  to  the  north 
and  east.  It  is  also  proposed  to  build  a  dam  in  the  Vermejo 
river,  at  the  junction  of  the  Caliente  river,  about  fifteen  miles 
above  the  present  headgate.  This  will  hold  5,000  acre  feet,  and 
may  be  refilled  repeatedly  during  each  year  by  the  successive 
floods. 

A  Big  Lake. 

The  most  important  of  these  reservoirs,  however,  is  the  big  lake 
on  the  Springer  system.  According  to  the  surveys  8,500  acres 
will  be  submerged  from  the  collected  waters  of  the  Cimarron  and 
the  Cieneguilla,  to  an  average  depth  of  forty-five  feet.  The  dam 
is  located  about  thirty  miles  northwest  of  the  present  headgate 
of  the  Springer  ditch,  and  the  Cimarron  river  bed  will  be  used 
as  a  water  way  for  that  distance.  The  dimensions  of  the  dam 
are  100  feet  long  on.  the  bottom,  275  long  on  the  crest  and  140 
feet  high,  and  will  contain  312,000  cubic  yards  of  material.  It 
will  irrigate  160,000  acres  of  land. 

Other  Projects. 

Besides  this  there  are  other  reservoirs  surveyed,  among  them 
projects  to  collect  the  waters  of  the  Van  Bremer,  Ponil  and 
Cerroso  rivers  in  a  series  of  natural  depressions.  It  is  also 


NEW  MEXICO. 


proposed  to  store  the  floods  that  pour  down  the  Katon  Arroyo 
and  the  Bartlett  and  Chicorica  creeks.  This  last  scheme  will 
put  under  irrigation  a  large  area  immediately  southeast  of  Raton, 
and  .would  cover  12,000  acres,  some  of  which  is  located  on  gov- 
ernment land,  outside  of  the  Maxwell  grant. 

Areas  of  Reclamation. 

The  possible  area  of  reclamation  from  the  surface  flow  of 
streams  and  the  storage  of  flood  waters  will  exceed  400,000  acres. 
All  of  this  is  not  located  within  the  boundaries  of  the  Maxwell 
grant,  but  owing  to  the  topography  of  the  country  the  same  ditch 
that  reclaims  the  grant  land  must  be  used  on  the  public  domain. 

Cost  of  I^and  and  Water. 

The  cost  of  land  under  this  system  is  from  $20  to  $35  an 
acre.  In  buying  land,  to  each  eighty  acres  there  is  reserved 
one  and  forty-four  hundreds  cubic  feet  per  second  during  the 
irrigating  season,  which  lasts  from  April  1  to  November  1  of 
each  year,  a  period  of  seven  months.  The  cost  of  land  includes 
a  perpetual  water  right,  but  a  small  annual  charge  is  xmade  each 
year  to  pay  for  the  maintenance  of  the  main  ditches  and  reser- 
voirs. The  amount  of  water  sold  with  each  eighty  acres  is  very 
high.  It  is  the  game  amount  that  was  given  to  each  of  the 
original  colonists  at  Greeley,  and  it  has  there  been  found  suffi- 
cient to  irrigate  160  acres.  A  few  years  of  irrigation  on  the 
Maxwell  grant  will  show  a  similar  increase  in  the  duty  of  water. 

An  Equitable  and  Advantageous  Arrangement. 

Knowing  this  to  be  true,  the  directorate  have  included  in  their 
deeds  or  contracts  with  the  farmers  purchasing  their  lands,  very 
liberal  clauses  as  to  the  use  of  water,  and  the  subsequent  dispo- 
sition of  the  ditches. 

Provision  is  made,  that  when  the  lands  under  the  Springer  and 
Vermejo  ditches  are  all  sold,  and  the  water  rights  paid  up  at 
the  reasonable  charges  made,  the  canals  and  reservoirs  shall  be 
turned  over  to  the  farmers  as  their  property  without  further 
cost,  charge  or  payment.  The  community  at  large  will  then  own 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  131 


these  works,  manage  them  without  any  interference,  and  use 
the  water  pro  rata  according  to  the  acreage  cultivated  by  each 
individual.  This  gives  the  farmer  settling  on  these  lands  all  the 
advantages  incident  to  a  communal  ownership  of  the  water  works. 
At  the  same  time,  during  the  period  that  must  elapse  while  set- 
tlement is  progressing,  self-interest  will  compel  each  farmer  to 
become  an  immigration  agent.  The  sooner  all  the  lands  are 
settled,  the  sooner  the  community  will  enter  into  possession  and 
management. 

The  company  also  stipulates  that  no  individual  may  directly 
tap  the  reservoirs  for  private  use  of  water,  but  that  they  shall 
always  remain  as  feeders  for  the  whole  system,  to  which  nobody 
has  any  particular  right,  but  in  which  everybody  has  an  undi- 
vided interest. 

When  the  lands  now  under  these  ditches  are  sold  the  transfer 
of  the  corporate  rights  to  the  community  must  take  place.  The 
company,  however,  reserves  the  right  to  the  use  of  any  surplus 
water.  That  is,  if  the  company  develops  more  water  than  one 
forty-four  hundreds  cubic  feet  per  second  to  each  eighty  acre 
tract,  and  has  it  ready  to  use  at  or  before  the  date  of  the  transfer, 
they  shall  have  the  right  to  apply  it  to  new  lands,  and  shall 
retain  sufficient  interest  in  the  main  works  to  insure  them  in  its 
use.  In  other  words,  they  shall  have  pro  rata  privileges  with  the 
community.  This  of  course  is  only  equitable  and  according  to 
public  policy. 

It  must  be  said  that  a  comparison  of  these  conditions  with  those 
imposed  by  any  other  corporation  will  redound  to  the  advantage 
of  the  Maxwell  grant. 

Evaporation  and  Seepage. 

In  storing  water  evaporation  and  seepage  cut  a  large  figure, 
and  provision  must  be  made  for  a  storage  proportionately  greater 
than  the  actual  demands  of  the  settler.  The  great  altitude  of 
these  lakes  reduces  the  evaporation  to  a  minimum.  Observations 
on  the  Laguna  Madre  show  conclusively  that  evaporation  is  very 
low.  In  the  month  of  October,  1891,  there  was  ten  feet  of  water 


132  NEW  MEXICO. 


in  this  lake.  The  sun  was  then  very  hot,  and  also  in  November 
and  the  first  weeks  of  December.  Water  to  prepare  several 
hundred  acres  for  ploughing  was  drawn  off;  and  on  March  1, 
1892,  it  was  found  that  the  water  level  in  the  lake  had  only  fallen 
one  foot.  During  these  months  there  was  no  inflow  of  water  to 
the  lake. 

Percolation  depends  011  the  porosity  of  the  soil.  The  bottoms 
of  these  reservoirs  are  hard  adobe  clay,  almost  impermeable  by 
water.  In  1891  foundations  were  dug  for  a  new  outlet  to  one  of 
the  lakes.  The  trench  was  dug  to  a  depth  of  twenty  feet  below 
the  surface  of  the  water,  and  about  fifty  feet  away  from  the  lake. 
No  percolated  water  was  struck  until  the  trench  got  down  eight- 
een feet  below  the  water  surface.  This  shows  how  stiff  is  this 
clay  bottom.  On  the  cultivable  alluvial  soil  no  bottom  has  been 
found. 

The  Policy  of  the  Company. 

It  is  claimed  by  the  management  that  it  is  intended  to  sell 
these  lands  off  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  at  the  same  time  to  sell 
one  tenant  as  small  a  tract  as  possible.  The  tendency  has  been 
in  taking  up  government  land,  for  the  settler  to  file  on  more  than 
he  really  needed  or  could  cultivate.  The  policy  of  irrigation 
promoters,  however,  has  been  to  sell  each  settler  only  so  much 
land  as  he  was  able  to  handle,  and  bring  to  the  highest  state  of 
cultivation.  This  made  the  security  for  the  deferred  payments 
better,  and  at  the  same  time  settles  the  country  with  a  dense  and 
thrifty  population.  The  board  of  trustees  have  therefore  made 
it  a  rule  not  to  sell  to  one  purchaser  more  than  320  acres, 
whether  this  be  irrigated  or  non-irrigated.  Exception  is,  how- 
ever, made  in  the  case  of  colonies.  Their  agents  may  purchase 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  settlers.  If  the  farmer  proposes 
to  devote  himself  to  fruit  culture,  from  ten  to  twenty  acres  are 
sufficient  for  his  needs.  If  to  the  raising  of  staple  crops,  such 
as  grain  and  alfalfa,  eighty  acres  is  all  that  he  and  his  family 
can  manage,  and  if  he  gets  the  best  results  of  modern  intensive 
farming  out  of  his  tract,  he  will  find  that  he  is  doing  better  than 
he  co aid  possibly  hope  on  160  or  200  acres  of  Eastern  land. 


V    'oF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 
•  HFOB^X 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OP  IMMIGRATION.  133 

How  the  Irrigator  Thrives. 

Take  an  eighty  acre  tract.  Let  it  be  supposed  that  land  and 
water  have  cost  him  $35  per  acre,  and  the  first  expense  of  fencing 
and  reducing  to  cultivation  runs  $5  more  per  acre.  This  will 
be  an  actual  outlay  of  $3,200  or  a  fixed  investment.  Suppose  that 
he  has  forty  acres  planted  to  alfalfa.  It  will  average  four  tons 
to  the  acre,  and  careful  cultivation  and  liberal  seeding  will  raise 
this  figure.  The  gross  money  return  at  $10  per  ton,  the  lowest 
territorial  price,  will  be  $1,600.  It  may  possibly  cost  him  for 
cultivation,  baling,  taxes  on  land,  and  incidental  expenses,  $5  per 
ton.  This  is  a  net  of  $800  from  alfalfa.  If  he  has  set  five  acres 
to  apples,  and  puts  only  100  trees  to  the  acre,  according  to  local 
prices  of  three  to  four  cents  per  pound,  they  will  yield  not  less 
than  $2  per  tree.  It  may  cost  him  $50  per  acre  for  cultivation, 
commissions,  freight,  etc.  He  will  therefore  realize  $750  net 
from  his  little  orchard.  Suppose  that  he  also  puts  thirty  acres 
to  potatoes.  According  to  New  Mexico's  prices  he  will  make  a 
big  income,  as  the  very  least  he  should  get,  would  be  200  bushels 
to  the  acre,  for  which  the  average  price  is  seventy-five  cents  per 
bushel,  or  $150  per  acre  gross.  It  is  very  liberal  to  put  down 
$50  for  all  costs  of  cultivation,  leaving  $3,000  profit  from  this 
staple.  The  other  five  acres  may  be  devoted  to  pasture,  sugar 
beet  culture,  vegetable  garden,  or  what  not.  A  good  thrifty 
family  will  make  it  pay  for  its  room.  Counting  only  the  fore- 
going, however,  there  is  a  net  income  of  $4,250  per  annum  from 
three  staple  crops,  on  a  fixed  investment  of  $3,200.  There  is 
only  one  drawback  to  this,  and  that  is  if  the  owner  wished  to 
sell  he  could  hardly  get  more  than  $100  per  acre  for  the  reason 
that  there  is  so  much  land,  and  the  price  of  products  is  so  good, 
that  any  sane  purchaser  would  rather  invest  his  money  in  the 
raw  land.  These  figures  of  profit  look  large  at  first  blush.  They 
represent,  however,  only  $53.10  per  acre.  The  farmer  who  can 
not  make  that  under  a  good  irrigating  ditch  in  New  Mexico  does 
not  know  the  business.  The  above,  of  course,  only  deals  with 
crops,  facts  and  figures,  peculiarly  adaptable  to  Coif  ax  county. 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Comment  on   Irrigation   in   Colfux  County. 

There  are  three  qualities  of  land  susceptible  of  irrigation  in 
Oolfax  county:  First,  the  table  laud  or  mesa  that  lies  open  to 
ditches  present  or  prospective;  second,  the  bottom  lands  of  the 
numerous  canons;  third,  the  higher  mountain  land,  which  in- 
cludes a  portion  of  the  stream  and  canon  land  and  has  some 
timber. 

The  irrigator,  as  shown  in  the  figures  given  heretofore,  will 
find  more  profit  in  cultivating  a  small  tract  intensively  than  in 
merely  scratching  a  large  acreage.  Of  course  there  are  lar^e 
farms  that  pay  well,  as  for  instance  under  the  Yermejo  ditch,  the 
company  has  broken  and  cultivated  in  one  tract  over  1,000  acres. 
Six  hundred  of  which  is  in  alfalfa.  This  farm  will  undoubtedly 
yield  first  class  returns ;  but  this  class  of  culture,  on  account  of 
the  heavy  outlay  for  seed,  preparing  the  soil  and  ditching  is  not 
within  the  reach  of  the  average  settler.  It  may,  however,  be 
taken  for  granted  that  a  number  of  persons  of  moderate  means 
and  industrious  habits  and  intelligence  will  get  more  out  of  an 
equal  area  of  land  than  even  the  best  corporate  management. 
Looking  at  this  proposition  abstractly  as  to  whether  a  number  of 
small  holdings,  say  ten  families,  with  sixty  acres  a  family,  or 
a  company  with  600  acres  should  be  preferred,  a  few  years 
experience  always  shows  a  decided  advantage  in  favor  of  the 
small  holdings.  This  is  the  experience  of  scientific  farmers,  not 
only  in  the  United  States,  but  in  France,  Germany,  Holland  and 
Belgium.  Besides  this,  small  holdings  induce  the  settlement  of 
the  greatest  possible  number  of  thrifty,  law  abiding  citizens  who 
have  a  stake  in  the  general  welfare,  and  whose  permanent  interest 
is  to  advance  the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  their  community. 
Economic  growth  and  social  life  are  broader  under  these  cir- 
cumstances than  where  the  community  is  composed  of  a  few 
large  owners  and  a  number  of  higher  laborers.  The  policy,  that 
encourages  small  holdings,  is  to  be  encouraged  in  every  way. 

I'pon  several  of  the  farms  that  are  now  being  cultivated  in 
Colfax  county  there  are  small  farm  storage  reservoirs.  The 
company  has  informed,  not  only  the  settlers  under  the  ditch 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  UHS 

MIS,  but  also  the  farmers  in  the  river  bottoms,  that  the 
surveyor  has  been  instructed  to  locate,  free  of  expense  to  tln-m. 
sites  to  build  reservoirs  for  individual  farm  storage.  Theobjc.-t 
IB  t«,  entourage  every  one  to  gather  all  the  flood  or  waste  wat.-i- 
possible.  These  basins  will  be  filled  by  laterals  connected  with 
the  main  ditches,  and  the  farmers,  who  avail  themselves  of  this 
liberality,  find  it  much  to  their  profit.  Another  great  advantage 
is  that  these  numerous  standing  ponds  gradually  fill  the  soil 
with  seepage  water,  whose  influence  is  to  lessen  the  amount  of 
water  needed  for  cultivation. 

Products  Adaptable  to  This  County. 

It  may  be  assumed  that  all  the  products  of  the  temperate  /on.- 
will  thrive.  The  deciduous  fruits  prosper,  and  their  product  lias 
a  fine  flavor  and  appearance.  On  the  Vermejo  are  two  large 
orchards  of  pear,  prune,  plum,  cherry  and  apricots.  Apples, 
however,  are  the  prize  crop  in  the  fruit  line.  Wheat  is  a  crop 
naturally  adapted  to  the  climate,  and  it  is  as  hard  and  heavy  as 
the  famous  product  of  the  Dakotas.  The  usual  yield  is  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty-five  bushels  an  acre.  Oats,  millet  and  barley 
are  proportionately  good  crops.  As  a  hay  country  this  county 
is  unexcelled;  and  the  haying  season  is  always  accompanied  by 
dry,  warm  weather.  Besides  the  cultivated  hay,  which  is  prin- 
cipally alfalfa,  the  black  grama  grass  grows  wild,  attaining  a 
height  of  twelve  to  fourteen  inches,  and  yielding  from  one-half 
to  three-quarters  of  a  ton  per  acre.  It  is  very  valuable  as  fodder, 
and  the  thrifty  man  may  usually  make  big  wages  by  taking  his 
mower  on  the  open  range  and  gathering  this  hay  which  is  free 
to  all.  Potatoes,  beets,  turnips,  parsnips  and  onions  grow 
abundantly,  and  are  uf  large  size.  The  table  of  prices  contained 
in  the  general  article  on  New  Mexico  will  give  all  necessary 
information  as  to  possible  profits  without  repetition  here. 

Stock  Growing. 

Farmers  who  intend  to  locate  in  this  region  will  find  splendid 
opportunities  to  increase  the  earnings  of  the  farm  by  keeping  a 
selected  herd  of  horses  or  cattle.  The  climate  is  extremely  favor- 


i;>r>  NEW  MEXICO. 


able  to  this  practice.  The  warm  sun  is  conducive,  preserving 
the  greatest  amount  of  animal  heat:  while  the  bracing,  tonic 
airs  of  the  mountains  expand  the  lungs,  use  up  unnecessary 
tissue,  and  make  the  animal  hardy,  active  and  bright.  The 
"open  range'*  business,  has  mostly  disappeared  with  the  cow  boy 
who  once  ruled  the  wide  prairies.  The  prosperous  cattle  man 
now  is  also  a  farmer.  He  is  not  satisfied  to  raise  and  feed  un- 
dersized ponies  and  broad-horned  steers,  but  improves  his  horses 
by  the  introduction  of  good  blood,  and  pastures  only  the  higher 
grade  cattle.  He  finds  it  is  not  necessary  to  own  immense  herds, 
but  is  sure  to  have  a  good  one.  A  carriage  horse  bred  from  a 
Percheron  or  Clydesdale  stallion  is  worth  more  than  a  herd  of 
ponies,  while  a  blooded  herd  of  Jerseys,  short-horn  or  other  good 
cattle  are  worth  hundreds  of  half  wild  animals. 

Lumber. 

The  slopes  of  the  Raton,  Sangre  de  Cristo  and  Taos  mountains 
afford  450,000  to  600,000  acres  of  merchantable  timber,  prin- 
cipally of  yellow  pine,  piuon  and  cedar.  The  Union  Pacific  has 
lately  pushed  a  branch  line,  down  the  Eed  river  from  Trinidad, 
Colorado,  into  the  breast  of  this  rich  timber  belt.  Eight  large 
saw  mills  are  now  at  work  at  Catskill.  and  the  output  is  reckoned 
at  over  30,000,000  feet  of  lumber  per  annum.  The  swift  canon 
streams  furnish  unlimited  power  to  extend  this  industry.  It 
should,  however,  be  prosecuted  with  common  sense  as  well  as 
vigor.  It  is  down  right  crime  to  ruthlessly  denude  the  mountain 
slopes,  because  lumber  men  are  too  lazy  to  select  their  timber. 
Wherever  waste  has  been  permitted  in  this  industry  the  punish- 
ment has  been  swift  and  sure.  The  spring  is  .marked  by  de- 
vastating floods  and  the  summer  by  drouths. 

Telephones. 

The  various  communities  of  this  county  are  very  closely  united. 
To  facilitate  its  scattered  business  the  Maxwell  company  has  built 
more  than  150  miles  of  telephone  lines  connecting  every  part  of 
the  county.  There  are  thirteen  main  stations,  and  the  people  of 
the  outlying  communities  can  communicate  in  a  moment  with 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  137 

the  business  centers,  or  send  in  orders  to  the  principal  markets  of 
Raton  and  Springer  and  have  them  filled  at  once,  without  wait- 
ing on  the  mails.  Women,  who  come  to  settle  with  their  families 
in  this  county,  need  not  fear  the  lonesomeness  and  isolation  that 
once  characterized  life  in  a  new  country.  The  soil  is  virgin,  it 
is  true,  but  all  the  conveniences  of  civilization  characterize  the 
environment.  In  an  irrigated  region  like  this  the  pioneer 
farmers  have  more  comforts  and  facilities  for  commerce  and 
business  than  their  slow-going,  plodding  brethren  of  the  East. 

Conclusion. 

This  county,  lying  as  it  does  at  the  headwaters  of  the  Cana- 
dian river,  enjoys  very  valuable  water  privileges.  Its  people  are 
wide  awake,  progressive  and  united.  The  climate,  taken  the 
year  through,  is  delightful.  Rarely  in  winter  does  the  cold  in 
the  valley  areas  fall  as  low  as  zero,  and  in  the  summer  90  degrees 
in  the  shade  is  hardly  ever  felt.  It  is  not  the  soft,  dolce  far 
niente  air  of  Southern  California,  but  a  mild  open  winter,  free 
from  drifting  snows,  and  a  balmy,  genial  .spring  and  summer. 
The  constant  sunshine  makes  good  crops.  They  are  not  retarded 
by  dark,  damp  days,  nor  unreasonably  forced  by  torrid  heats. 
In  a  word  it  is  a  good,  year  round,  work-a-day  climate,  where 
the  men  born  in  the  temperate  zone  find  plenty  of  paying  labor 
during  the  day  and  healthful,  pleasant  rest  by  nights.  The 
alluvial  soil  is  of  unknown  depth.  Good,  potable  well  water  is 
easily  attainable,  and  the  promise  of  developing  artesian  water 
over  a  wide  area  is  very  good.  The  settler  will  make  no  mistake 
by  locating  in  Colfax  county. 


UNION  COUNTY. 


This  county  was  created  by  act  of  the  legislature,  approved  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1893.  It  took  its  proper  place  in  the  list  of  counties  on 
January  1,  1894.  It  is  seggregated  from  the  eastern  portions  of 
Co  If  ax,  Mora  and  San  Miguel  counties,  and  establishes  the  county 
of  Union.  It  occupies  the  extreme  northeastern  corner  of  the 
Territory,  and  has  an  area  of  4,126,000  acres,  350,000  of  which 
are  unsurveyed,  consisting  of  a  strip  on  the  Texas  line.  The 
population  is  estimated  at  4,120.  The  principal  towns  are  Clay- 
ton, the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  450,  Folsom  with  200, 
and  Luis  with  100.  These  places  are  all  rapidly  increasing  in 
numbers  and  prosperity.  As  shown  by  the  books  of  the  counties 
from  which  Union  county  was  taken,  the  total  valuation  is  $1,- 
897,171.  The  push  and  energy  that  compelled  the  erection  of 
this  municipality,  although  it  was  opposed  by  the  representations 
of  three  powerful  counties,  still  animate  the  people.  They  are 
planning  far  ahead,  and  wisely  regulating  their  efforts. .  Okla- 
homa's western  boundary  touches  Union  county  for  a  distance 
of  thirty-three  miles.  Thousands  of  land  seekers  failed  to  obtain 
a  location  in  Oklahoma  and  the  Cherokee  strip,  and  many  of 
them  will  no  doubt  eventually  find  homes  in  this  new  and  thriv- 
ing community.  It  will  therefore  be  seen  that  this  county  is 
very  advantageously  situated  to  attract  immigration. 

General  Characteristics. 

The  topography  is  diversified.  Rugged  mountains,  covered 
with  valuable  timber  occupy  the  northern  and  western  portions 
of  the  county;  thence  they  slope  gradually  into  valley  lands, 
which  sink  into  grass  covered  mesas,  and  roll  on  into  the  plains 
of  the  Panhandle  of  Texas.  On  the  Cimarron,  Tramperos  and 
Ute  creeks  are  valuable  tracts  of  cedar  and  pine.  These  have 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


139 


not  been  touched,  except  to  supply  a  small  amount  of  fuel  for 
domestic  purposes.  These  creeks  furnish  ample  power  for  saw 
mills. 

The  northern  part  of  the  county  is  covered  with  a  net  work 
of  small  creeks ;  while  in  the  southern  and  central  part  Ute  creek 
and  the  Canadian  afford  considerable  bodies  of  land  for  irriga- 
tion. 

Industries. 

At  present  the  efforts  of  the  people  are  mostly  confined  to  the 
raising  of  cattle  and  sheep.  The  range  is  ample  and  covered 


with  abundant  grass.  It  is  conservatively  estimated  that  there 
are  103,700  head  of  cattle  in  the  county,  many  of  which  are 
highly  bred,  and  the  general  average  of  the  range  cattle  has 
been  so  much  improved  that  the  highest  market  prices  are  always 
obtained.  Besides  these  cattle  there  are  5,700  head  of  horses 
and  mules.  These  are  largely  raised  for  shipment  to  Eastern 
markets,  where,  on  account  of  their  excellence  of  blood  and  form, 
they  always  find  a  ready  sale  at  high  prices. 

Sheep  raising  is  an  extensive  industry.  From  Clayton  alone 
the  annual  shipments  of  wool  are  in  excess  of  2,000,000  pounds 
annually ;  and  in  addition  large  clips  find  a  way  to  market  from 
other  points.  A  careful  estimate  puts  the  number  of  sheep  at 
355,000  head.  The  number  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  the  grade 


140  NEW  MEXICO. 


of  the  flocks  is  constantly  growing  better.  There  are  few,  if  any, 
counties  that  afford  such  excellent  opportunities  for  sheep  rais- 
ing. Grass  and  water  are  easily  found,  and  the  result  is  a  heavy, 
fine  fleece,  and  a  large  carcass  when  the  animal  is  killed  for 
mutton. 

Irrigation. 

The  reports  of  progress  made  in  farming  by  irrigation  are 
very  encouraging.  At  present  the  spread  of  cultivation  is  limited 
to  individual  homesteads  and  ranches,  and  will  not  cover  more 
than  a  few  thousand  acres.  However,  large  works  are  being 
planned  to  reclaim  the  lands  on  the  Baca  Location  No.  2,  and 
prospecting  parties  are  examining  other  promising  localities. 
In  some  few  places  crops  have  been  raised  without  irrigation. 
As  far  west  as  Union  county ,  however,  this  practice  is  not  to  be 
strongly  advised.  If  the  farmer  will  reckon  his  annual  percen- 
tages of  loss  from  a  full  crop,  even  in  the  best  humid  regions, 
it  will  become  clear  that  irrigation  is  not  only  an  advantage,  but 
a  necessity  to  the  scientific  farmer.  In  Union  county  the  danger 
of  drouth  is  much  increased  by  reason  of  its  location  well  within 
the  arid  region.  The  prospective  immigrant  will  do  well  there- 
fore to  secure  a  water  right  with  his  land.  It  will  pay  for  itself 
within  the  first  year,  and  has  the  added  advantage  of  seating  the 
farmer  firmly  on  his  homestead.  There  is  no  emigration  from 
an  irrigated  country.  The  flow  of  population  is  always  inward. 

Railroads. 

There  are  83.30  miles  of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad  from 
Denver  to  Fort  Worth  in  the  county,  and  it  is  an  outlet  of  great 
importance. 

Public  Schools. 

The  people  of  the  county  take  great  interest  in  the  public 
school  system,  and  the  buildings  now  in  use  and  under  con- 
struction at  Clayton,  Folsom,  Miera  and  Baca,  and  at  other 
points,  compare  favorable  with  those  of  any  other  county,  and 
represent  the  progressive  character  of  the  people. 


OF  THE 

{    UNIVERSITY 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  141 

Coal  and  Stone  L,ands. 

Development  is  in  its  elementary  stages.  Good  indications 
of  coal  are  found  in  the  northern  part,  and  valuable  stone  for 
building  purposes  is  to  be  had  wherever  required. 

Of  course  in  a  new  country  of  such  sparse  population  little 
can  be  said  as  to  the  actual  advancement  of  the  country.  There 
is  one  thing,  however,  that  can  be  said  of  these  people,  and  that 
is  they  are  possessed  of  absolute  and  indomitable  pluck  and 
energy.  Vast  and  difficult  problems  of  reclamation  confront 
them,  but  they  are  of  the  same  stock  and  race  that  have  con- 
quered three  thousand  miles  of  wilderness.  According  to  the 
history  of  surrounding  communities  success  is  possible,  and 
there  is  not  the  slightest  doubt  that  these  people  will  'wrest 
success  from  difficulty.  The  immigrant  who  wishes  to  cast  his 
lot  with  this  community  will  find  congenial  surroundings,  and 
all  the  advantages  supposed  to  accrue  to  the  pioneer;  while  at 
the  same  time  he  will  be  much  better  off  than  in  many  other 
sections,  where  railroad  communication  with  populous  centers 
is  denied  him. 


MORA  COUNTY. 


This  county  is  south  of  Colfax,  and  between  Taos  and  Union. 
The  surface  consists  of  a  gently  rising  plain  from  5,000  to  7,000 
feet  above  sea  level.  AYhen  the  latter  altitude  is  reached  the 

plain  swells  rapidly  into  preci- 
pituous  mountains  10,000  to 
12,000  feet  high.  The  imme- 
diate assumption  is,  that  a 
region  so  elevated,  is  not 
adapted  to  general  farming. 
This,  however,  is  erroneous.  Forage,  cereal,  vegetable  and  fruit 
crops  all  nourish.  The  high  altitude  is  affected  by  the  southern 
latitude  and  the  combined  effect  is  an  equable  and  mild  climate 
all  the  year  round. 

The  topography  of  the  country  is  marked  by  a  series  or  rather 
ramification  of  valleys.  In  the  western  half  of  the  county  these 
are  all  tributary  to  the  Mora  river.  The  eastern  half  is  crossed 
from  north  to  south  by  the  main  stream  of  the  Canadian.  It 
flows,  however,  in  a  deeply  eroded  channel,  and  it  is  doubtful  if 
its  waters  can  be  carried  out  in  the  surrounding  prairie  except 
at  great  expense.  This  part  of  the  county  is  therefore  better 
fitted  for  grazing  than  for  agriculture. 

The  Mora  and  its  Valleys. 

The  western  half  of  the  county  is  a  beautiful  farming  country. 
On  the  west  it  is  protected  from  high  winds  by  the  Las  Vegas 
and  Santa  Fe  mountains,  two  branches  of  the  main  range  of  the 
Rockies.  On  the  east  tower  the  Turkey  mountain,  a  detached 
range  that  circles  the  valley  until  the  Agua  Fria  mountains  are 
reached  on  the  north.  Within  the  main  valley,  protected  not 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  143 

only  from  the  blizzards  of  the  Texas  prairies,  but  also  from 
western  storms,  flows  the  Mora.  It  takes  up  in  its  course,  the 
Coyote,  Cebolla,  La  Jara  and  Sapello.  Every  one  of  which  flows 
through  a  fertile  valley.  This  country  lies  in  long,  regular 
undulations,  every  broad  ridge  or  divide  forming  a  plateau  valley 
of  considerable  extent.  In  these  again  are  natural  depressions 
fit  for  reservoirs,  and  which  need  but  slight  work  in  the  way  of 
embankments.  They  may  be  utilized  not  only  for  the  purposes 
of  irrigation,  but  for  storing  water  out  on  the  cattle  ranges. 
Another  advantage  is  that  during  flood  periods  all  these  depres- 
sions along  the  stream  beds  may  be  filled.  The  capacity  will 
range  from  5,000  to  20,000  acre  feet.  During  the  periods  of 
low  water  these  stores  may  be  slowly  returned  to  the  stream  bed, 
or  into  main  canals,  and  distributed  on  the  agricultural  land 
through  the  regular  irrigation  ditches. 

It  has  been  noted  before  that  all  natural  water  courses  are  by 
the  law  of  New  Mexico  public  acequias  or  irrigation  canals.  It 
is  necessary  therefore  for  the  people  to  agree  as  to  the  manage- 
ment and  use  of  such  water.  For  instance  a  large  land  owner 
desires  to  impound  water  for  private  use.  He  does  it  at  his  own 
expense.  He  cannot,  however,  use  the  stream  bed,  which  in  this 
country  is  usually  practicable,  to  convey  this  water  to  his  ditch 
without  general  consent ;  nor  has  a  small  or  large  portion  of  the 
community  any  better  rights  than  the  individual.  He  can,  how- 
ever, submit  a  proposition  of  improvement  to  the  irrigators;  and 
with  approval  or  consent  of  all  thereto,  in  writing,  his  rights 
would  become  vested  and  secure.  This  plan  would  permit  the 
reclamation  of  large  areas.  The  spirit  of  the  New  Mexican  law, 
however,  is  that  irrigation  should  be  pursued  by  communities; 
and  if  this  method  of  improvement  of  the  local  supply  were  taken 
up  by  the  communities  resident  on  different  stream  courses,  the 
question  would  be  less  complicated  and  the  advantage  more 
general. 

Wherever  surplus  water  is  stored  and  used  in  private  ditches 
the  right  to  it  is  absolute ;  and  the  person  so  doing  has  a  free 
right  of  way  over  public  lands  for  his  canals,  and  over  private 


144  NEW  MEXICO. 


lands  on  the  payment  of  reasonable  compensation  to  the  owner. 
Taking  both  these  provisions  together  much  maybe  done  in 
Mora  to  improve  her  irrigation  facilities,  and  so  far  as  the  stor- 
ing of  this  water  for  use  out  on  the  range  is  concerned,  there 
is  no  difficulty.  The  more  progressive  people  of  Mora  are 
already  considering  this  proposition  of  table  land  storage.  Said 
one  gentleman  of  Watrous  to  the  agent  of  this  Bureau:  "I 
would  be  very  pleased  if  between  my  place  and  the  town  of  Mora 
there  were  twenty  or  thirty  large  reservoirs.  These  would  be 
filled  in  the  spring  floods.  In  the  late  summer,  it  would  be 
returned  to  the  river,  and  we  could  not  only  have  our  canals 
bank  full,  but  we  could  so  enlarge  them  as  to  cover  every  acre 
of  land  between  here  and  Mora.  The  seepage  alone  from  these 
reservoirs  would  vastly  improve  our  farms.  Take  my  place  for 
instance,  I  begin  irrigating  at  the  upper  end,  and  before  a  week 
is  over,  the  water  is  oozing  into  the  river  nearly  two  miles  lower 
down  the  stream.  In  fact,  the  crown  of  a  road  twelve  inches 
above  the  surrounding  fields  will  be  wetted  up  by  capillary 
attraction." 

It  is  of  couise  to  be  pre-supposed  that  such  a  soil  would  make 
a  poor  reservoir;  but  such  is  not  the  fact  as  the  flood  waters  are 
filled  with  a  silicious  silt,  which  quickly  puddles  the  bottom  and 
makes  it  almost  as  tight  as  a  pot.  This  allows  only  the  minimum 
amount  of  seepage.  The  other  problem  in  reservoir  building  is 
evaporation.  Owing  to  the  elevation,  this  cuts  little  or  no  figure 
during  ten  months  of  the  year;  but  during  the  early  spring, 
and  the  brisk  March  winds,  evaporation  is  quite  a  factor.  The 
little  waves  offer  sharply  defined  crests  to  the  winds,  and  little 
films  of  moisture  are  clipped  off  every  one,  During  this -sen son 
the  reservoirs  will  lose  from  a  foot  to  eighteen  inches  from  the 
upper  surface,  but  as  this  is  the  time  of  greatest  flood  in  the 
feeders,  it  really  amounts  to  little.  From  this  source  alone  it 
may  be  estimated  that  250,000  acres  of  this  county  may  be 
irrigated  for  crops  or  pasturage. 


OF  THE 

|   UNIVERSITY 

OF 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


Irrigated  Range. 

The  formation  of  these  reservoirs  will  also  cut  au  important 
figure  as  affording  cheap  pasturage.  The  table  lands  of  Mora 
are  thickly  covered  with  black  grama  and  blue  joint  grass.  It 
is  said  that  the  latter  is  gradually  prevailing  over  its  neighbor 
and  covering  the  plains  exclusively.  This  is  a  matter  of  small 
moment,  however,  as  either  furnishes  an  exceptionally  fine  hay, 
If  regularly,  but  scantily  irrigated,  that  is,  if  about  six  or  eight 
inches  of  water  is  poured  over  the  land  in  addition  to  the  rain- 
fall, these  grasses  thicken  in  their  growth  and  turn  the  land 
into  heavy,  rich  meadows.  Under  such  cheap,  but  artificial  past- 
urage, instead  of  its  requiring  twenty  acres  for  the  support  of  a 
steer  or  other  animal,  not  more  than  three  and  sometimes  one 
acre  will  suffice. 

This  irrigated  pasture  has  a  double  advantage.  During  the 
good  grass,  the  stock  may  be  permitted  to  range  at  large ;  as 
soon  as  this  wild  grass  fails,  they  may  be  rounded  up,  driven 
within  the  fence  of  such  a  pasture,  allowed  to  accumulate  the 
last  possible  pound  of  beef,  and  then  sold  at  the  best  market 
rates.  Cattle  ranches  under  such  management  will  lose  that 
wildness  that  has  made  the  cow  boy  such  a  grotesque  figure  in 
Eastern  and  English  literature ;  it  will  transform  the  ranch  house 
into  a  humanized  home,  surrounded  with  a  garden  and  the  con- 
veniences of  life,  from  whence  the  manager  or  owner  can  super- 
intend his  lowing  herds,  keep  his  family  with  him  and  enjoy 
life.  This  picture  of  pastoral  life  will  soon  be  realized  in  many 
parts  of  New  Mexico,  and  especially  in  Mora. 

While  investigating  the  resources  of  this  county,  the  agent 
of  this  Bureau  saw  on  one  ranch  splendid  fields  of  alfalfa  that 
had  been  sowed  a  year  ago  on  a  heavy  stand  of  timothy,  and  on 
the  raw  prairie  sod.  The  seeding  was  heavy,  nearly  forty 
pounds  to  the  acre  having  been  used.  After  drilling  in,  nothing- 
was  done  except  to  irrigate  the  land.  The  alfalfa  sprung  up, 
choked  out  the  prior  growth,  and  when  inspected  was  ready  for 
a  second  cutting.  This  shows  how  easily  the  ranges  could  be 
transformed  into  ideal  pastures. 


146  NEW  MEXICO. 


The  Watrous   Valley. 

The  valley  immediately  around  Watrous,  on  the  Atchison, 
Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railway,  is  typical  of  this  county  and  of  all 
northern  New  Mexico.  It  is  watered  by  the  Sapello  and  Mora, 
from  each  of  which  the  farmers  have  taken  out  small  ditches, 
and  brought  over  4,000  acres  under  high  cultivation.  To  see 
these  lands  in  full  bloom  and  beauty  is  a  wonderful  sight.  The 
streams  are  banked  with  cotton  wood,  elder,  wild  plum  and  cherry 
trees ;  the  fields  spread  with  orchards,  gardens  and  lovely  homes. 
Here  a  house  peeps  from  its  sheltering  grove ;  there  the  precise 
lines  of  an  orchard  break  the  landscape ;  at  hand  an  alfalfa  field, 
topped  with  its  pretty  flowers,  waves  green  and  purple,  loading 
the  air  with  delicious  perfume.  The  Santa  Fe  and  Las  Vegas 
ranges  on  the  west,  on  the  east  the  Agua  Fria  and  Turkey  moun- 
tains close  in  the  view.  Owing  to  the  high  light  the  scene  changes 
with  every  passing  cloud. 

The  I/a  Cueva  Valley. 

The  most  important  valley  is  La  Cueva,  situated  just  outside 
the  Canoncito  of  the  Mora,  and  watered  by  the  Cebolla  and 
Coyote.  It  lies  in  a  perfect  amphitheatre  of  hills,  and  these  are 
overtopped  with  mountains.  The  floor  of  the  valley  is  a  smooth 
plain,  over  50,000  acres  in  extent.  Considerable  work  is  being 
done  here  by  the  La  Cueva  Ranch  and  Cattle  company,  who 
own  29,000  acres  of  this  valley.  The  management  have  4,000 
acres  now  under  cultivation,  and  have  run  out  their  ditches  so 
as  to  cover  10,000  or  12,000  acres  more.  At  the  head  of  the 
valley  there  are  two  large  reservoirs,  the  largest  being  one  of 
the  principal  lakes  in  the  Territory  outside  of  the  Pecos  valley. 
At  present  the  survey  shows  that  it  covers  640  acres,  and  that 
six  feet  of  water  can  be  drawn  off  it.  The  feedway  is  still  fif- 
teen feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  raising  the  hight 
of  the  embankment  so  as  to  confine  this  extra  amount  of  water, 
it  is  estimated  that  14,400  acre  feet  will  be  impounded.  Besides 
this  there  are  two  other  small  reservoirs.  Th^  present  works  of 
this  company  assure  the  reclamation  of  16,000  acres  of  land; 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  147 

and  besides  this  there  are  known  opportunities  to  reclaim  30,000 
acres. 

The  Prospects. 

The  prospects  of  this  valley  are  superb.  The  climate  is  better 
than  that  of  Greeley,  Colorado.  Greeley  annually  makes  $2,- 
000,000  profit  from  its  potato  crop  alone.  Here  the  conditions 
are  much  more  favorable  for  this  cultivation  than  at  Greeley. 
There  is  one  point,  however,  that  must  be  remembered,  and  that 
is  that  potatoes  should  not  be  irrigated,  while  the  plant  is  in 
flower  and  the  "apples'*  forming.  If  water  is  applied  at  this 
stage,  the  irrigator  may  be  assured  of  a  splendid  crop  of  stalks, 
but  very  small  potatoes,  and  few  to  the  hill.  While  the  potatoes 
are  in  flower  no  water  should  be  given  them,  even  if  the  plants 
seem  to  suffer.  This  lesson  was  learned  at  Greeley  during  years 
of  drouth.  The  New  Mexican  irrigators  should  profit  by  it. 
Another  thing,  this  region  is  a  natural  alfalfa  and  wheat  country. 
An  alfalfa  field  makes  the  best  potato  ground  known.  If  the 
three  crops  named  are  alternated  so  as  to  run  alfalfa  three  years, 
wheat  one  and  potatoes  two  years  on  the  same  ground,  an  average 
profit  of  $50  per  acre  annually  may  be  secured.  This  is  the 
experience  at  Greeley,  where  25,000  acres  are  cultivated  under 
one  ditch.  In  La  Cueva  valley  this  same  result  may  be  secured 
on  a  large  scale.  The  whole  50,000  acres  of  this  valley  may  be 
laid  down  to  the  crops  named,  interspersed  with  garden  patches 
and  small  orchards.  These,  however,  should  be  protected  by 
quick  growing  hedges.  Cabbage,  celery  and  onions  would  also 
yield  well  here.  At  Coyote,  a  little  settlement  near  La  Cueva, 
berries  grow  profusely,  and  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  they 
would  flourish  throughout  this  county. 


The  MoralV  alley. 

Up  the  Canoncito,  six  miles  from  La  Cueva,  the  Mora  valley 
proper  is  revealed.  Mora,  the  county  seat,  is  a  quaint  town, 
containing  a  very  handsome  courthouse  and  other  fine  buildings. 
Several  large  stores  are  located  here.  The  valley  for  fifteen 
miles  is  a  band  of  green  threaded  with  silver.  In  places  the 


148  NEW  MEXICO. 


mountains  run  down  to  meet  the  stream  in  picturesque  abrupt- 
ness, in  others  they  recede  leaving  wide  plains.  The  valley 
proper  is  from  three-fourths  to  one  mile  wide,  and  contains  about 
6,000  cultivated  acres. 

Intermediate  Valleys. 

From  Mora  back  to  Watrous  is  a  panorama  of  beauty,  which 
if  possessed  in  an  Eastern  State  would  be  world  renowned.  Those 
who  are  unaccustomed  to  the  far  West  can  hardly  be  persuaded 
that  the  climate  is  arid.  From  one  divide  to  the  other  the  grama 
and  blue  joint  grasses  wave  a  foot  high,  the  babble  of  water  is 
heard  in  all  the  streams;  but  the  tenderfoot  should  not  under- 
take dry  farming.  The  moisture  that  will  mature  grama  grass 
is  not  sufficient  for  tame  hay,  alfalfa  or  farm  crops.  The  almost 
pearl  gray  horizon,  and  the  deep  azure  of  the  dome  of  heaven 
lend  beauty  to  the  landscape,  but  they  are  signs  that  never  escape 
the  experienced  eye.  They  mean  aridity  and  constancy  of  sun- 
shine that  is  valuable  to  the  irrigator,  but  death  to  Eastern 
methods  of  farming.  The  water  that  purls  in.  the  streams  comes 
from  snow  banks  in  the  mountains,  not  from  rain. 

The  Eastern  idea  is  that  irrigation  is  a  good  substitute  for 
rain.  The  Western  man  thinks  rain  a  poor  substitute  for  irri- 
gation. The  rain  belt  farmer  relies  011  chance.  The  irrigator 
knows  what  he  is  doing.  Therein  lies  the  difference. 

Down  the  Valley. 

Going  from  Mora  down  the  river  there  are  small  ranches  along 
it  and  its  tributary  streams  until  the  Tipton  ranch  is.  reached, 
which  belongs  to  the  heirs  of  the  late  Enoch  Tipton.  It  con- 
tains about  600  acres  cultivated  to  fruit  and  general  crops ;  then 
comes  Walter  Lynderi,  with  seventy-five  acres;  and  proceeding 
further  down  the  valley  passing  small  ranches  until  Shoemaker, 
eight  miles  from  Watrous,  is  reached.  Here  the  valley  widens 
out  and  is  called  Cherry  Valley,  and  there  are  a  number  of  ex- 
tensive ranches.  The  principal  of  which  are  those  of  Capt.  W. 
B.  Brunton,  Thomas  Lester,  L.  C.  Fort,  Frank  Carpenter,  Judge 
Carson  and  others,  aggregating  about  1,200'acres  in  actual  cul- 


THE 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  149 


tivation.  Commencing  again  and  following  up  the  Mora  for  five 
miles  we  come  to  the  Loma  Parda,  where  several  hundred  more 
acres  are  cultivated.  Webbers  old  place,  now  owned  by  Mr. 
Bierbaum,  is  seven  miles  up  the  river.  Thence  up  the  stream  are 
the  Golondrina  and  Buena  Vista  Valleys,  well  cultivated. 

Accurate  inquiry  reveals  the  fact  that  there  are  over  20,000 
acres  cultivated  annually  in  the  county.  The  official  figures  of 
the  census  put  it  much  lower,  but  it  is  probable,  the  enumerator 
in  taking  account  of  the  irrigated  and  cultivated  land  got  so 
mixed  up  in  varas  and  acres  that  he  could  not  tell  what  he  knew 
about  it.  The  statistics  and  estimates  given  above  are  about  right. 

Cattle  and  Sheep. 

Mora  county  is  a  splendid  sheep  and  cattle  country.  Accord- 
ing to  the  taxt-eturns  there  are  2,412  horses  and  mules,  29,270 
cattle  and  115,151  sheep  in  the  county.  The  aggregate  value 
of  which  is  placed  at  $416,991.50.  These  figures,  however,  as 
usual  with  tax  returns,  are  much  below  the  actual  facts.  There 
are  at  least  twice  the  number  of  horses  and  mules,  250,000  sheep, 
a  proportionately  greater  number  of  cattle.  The  values  should 
also  be  proportionately  increased.  There  are  also  a  goodly  num- 
ber of  goats,  swine  and  burros. 

Within  this  county  is  situated  old  Fort  Union,  now  abandoned 
as  a  military  garrison.  Its  name  is  associated  with  much  that 
is  thrilling  in  New  Mexican  history. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  what  Mora  county  in  its  entirety  is 
destined  to  be  a  great  agricultural  and  stock  country.  Its  land 
is  richer  than  Greeley,  Colorado,  it  is  free  from  alkali,  and  will 
raise  crops  abundantly.  Reservoir  sites  on  the  mesas,  such  as 
the  one  at  La  Cueva  are  frequent,  and  in  these  can  be  stored, 
without  danger,  water  to  irrigate  many  small  tracts,  which  in  t1u> 
aggregate  will  amount  to  thousands  of  acres.  This  will  greatly 
enrich  not  only  the  farmers  but  the  county. 

Artesian  Water. 

Artesian  water  may  be  developed  at  many  places.  At  La 
Cueva,  within  a  very  few  yards  of  the  Coyote,  are  several  springs 


150  NEW  MEXICO. 


that  show  true  artesian  characteristics.  There  is  little  doubt 
but  that  strong  flowing  wells  could  be  struck  without  difficulty. 
This,  however,  is  a  matter  of  development,  and  need  not  be 
described  among  the  great  resources  of  this  county. 

Price  of  I^and. 

Good  agricultural  land  may  be  purchased  in  this  county  from 
$15  to  $30  per  acre.  Cultivated  farms  from  $80  to  $75  per  acre, 
these  figures  will  include  water  rights. 


SAN  MIGUEL 

AND 

GUADALUPE  COUNTIES. 


San  Miguel  county,  before  Guadalupe  and  a  portion  of  Union 
were  segregated  from  it,  was  the  largest  county  in  the  Territoy. 
Its  material  interests  and  its  physical  conformation  are  so  inti- 
mately associated  with  Guadalupe  county  that  they  are  treated 
together.  Combined^  they  have  an  area  of  7,247,160  acres,  of 
which  4,122,000  acres  belong  to  San  Miguel  and  3,125,160  to 
Guadalupe  county. 

These  counties  lie  in  the  Canadian  and  Pecos  valleys.  The 
Canadian  is  the  principal  stream  in  San  Miguel  and  the  Pecos 
in  Guadalupe.  In  the  southeastern  part  of  this  area  begins  the 
great  Llano  Estacado.  The  eastern  portion  is  part  of  the  Great 
Plains  which  stretch  from  the  British  line  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
Toward  the  west  the  country  rises  rapidly  from  about  4,500  feet 
on  the  line  to  over  12,000  on  the  mountain  summits  at  or  near 
the  western  boundary.  The  northern  boundary  of  this  tract 
is  about  the  line  of  the  36th  degree  of  latitude  and  extends  south 
to  34  degrees  30  minutes.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Mora 
and  Union  county,  on  the  south  by  Bernalillo  and  Chaves  coun- 
ties, on  the  east  by  Union  county  and  Texas,  and  on  the  west 
by  Santa  Fe"  county.  In  a  word  it  extends  from  the  Panhandle 
of  Texas  to  the  main  range  of  the  Kockies,  and  also  includes 
part  of  the  Llano  Estacado. 

Besides  the  Canadian  and  Pecos,  the  Gallinas,  Sapello,  Teco- 
lote  and  their  tributaries  water  considerable  area  of  this  territory. 
These  are  fed  with  waters  from  the  constantly  snow  capped 
mountains.  These  streams  all  have  their  sources  in  the  same 


152 


NEW  MEXICO. 


mountains  and  nearly  in  the  same  locality.  The  precipitation 
of  moisture  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  mountains  by  rain  and 
snow  is  considerable.  This  fact  is  highly  advantageous  to  all 
kinds  of  vegetation.  The  timber  is  particularly  extensive  and 
of  large  growth.  Forests  of  yellow  pine  extend  from  the  sum- 
mits of  the  mountains  down  to  the  foot  hills,  which  afford  an 
almost  inexhaustible  quantity  of  timber  for  lumber  and  building 
purposes.  In  addition  to  the  yellow  pine,  suitable  for  lumber, 
there  are  great  forests  of  pifion  and  cedar,  the  former  affording 


Street  Scene  in  Las  Vegas. 

the  best  of  fire  wood,  and  the  latter  used  for  telegraph  poles  and 
other  purposes  for  which  cedar  is  fit.  The  timber  interest  of  these 
counties  is  an  important  resource,  and  as  the  largest  portion  of 
the  best  forests  are  on  government  land,  it  will  be  available  .to 
actual  settlers  and  eventually  a  source  of  great  revenue. 

Stock  Raising. 

Another  resource  of  these  counties  is  that  of  cattle  and  sheep 
raising.  New  Mexico  is  extensively  and  favorably  known  re- 
specting this  interest.  These  two  counties  are  as  favored  as  any 


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BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  153 

other  section  in  the  Territory  in  this  business.  The  eastern 
portion  of  the  counties,  extending  to  the  Texas  Panhandle,  is 
pre-eminently  a  stock  raising  country.  The  pasturage  is  the 
native  grama  grass,  which  stands  dry  weather  as  no  other  grass 
does,  and  although  of  short  growth  is  extremely  nutritious ;  and, 
remarkable  as  it  is,  this  grass  possesses  the  quality  the  year 
through.  The  cattle  come  off  the  pastures  in  the  spring  as  fat  as 
in  the  fall.  This  fact  is  in  marked  contrast  with  other  grazing 
localities.  Texas  even  does  not  possess  such  grazing  advantages. 
There  the  grass  dies  after  frost  arid  has  but  little  nutriment  left. 
"Northers"  are  but  little  felt,  perhaps  for  the  reason  that  the 
force  of  the  winds  is  broken  by  the  spurs  of  the  Eocky  mountains 
extending  along  the  northeastern  border  of  the  Territory,  and 
known  as  the  Baton  range.  That  which  adds  to  the  success  of 
stock  raising  in  this  county  is  the  fact  that  the  grazing  localities 
are  well  watered.  The  Canadian  and  Pecos  rivers  with  their 
tributaries,  supplemented  by  numerous  lakes  and  springs  upon 
the  high  prairies,  supply  water  for  immense  ranges.  The  cli- 
mate is  mild  and  the  altitude  is  such,  being  about  4,000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  that  a  more  desirable  locality  cannot 
be  found  for  the  farmer  and  stock  raiser. 

Sheep  raising  has  been  a  very  prominent  industry  of  these 
counties,  particularly  with  the  native  population.  Cattle  raising 
has  become  one  of  the  principal  industries  of  the  eastern  portion 
of  both  counties,  and  very  successful  efforts  are  being  made 
to  improve  the  herds  by  the  introduction  of  thoroughbred  bulls 
from  the  East,  principally  Durhams  with  some  Herefords.  Wil- 
son Waddingham,  the  well  known  capitalist  and  land  owner,  has 
a  ranch  on  the  Canadian  thirty-six  miles  in  length  by  thirty  in 
breadth,  and  covering  nearly  800,000  acres.  The  ranch  is  heavily 
stocked  with  improved  herds,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  properties 
in  the  West.  Many  large  ranches,  owned  by  individuals  and 
com  paries,  are  located  along  the  Canadian  and  on  the  tribu- 
taries, north  and  south  of  it.  The  Pecos  river,  flowing  through 
the  southwestern  portion  of  the  counties,  is  a  favorite  ranching 
section.  Banchmen  secure  title  to  a  water  front,  and  run  their 
20 


154 


NEW  MEXICO. 


cattle  on  the  well  grassed  plains  and  mesa  lands  extending  back 
from  the  river.  That  portion  of  the  counties  afford  pre-eminently 
good  winter  ranges,  and  no  provision  whatever  need  be  made  to 
feed  cattle  during  the  winter  months.  The  ranges,  possessing 
permanent  water,  are  now  generally  taken  up.  Still  there  are 
many  places,  where  wells  could  be  sunk,  and  the  water  be  either 
pumped  up  with,  wind-mills  or  artesian  water  found,  and  mag- 


Court  House,  Las  Vegas. 

nificent  ranges  yet  be  secured  many  miles  distant  from  any  other 
ranch.  On  the  vast  plateaux  that  overspread  the  country  surface, 
water  is  rarely  found.  Much  is  being  done  now  by  constructing 
reservoirs  to  catch  the  water  occasioned  by  the  annual  rainfall. 
In  the  mountain  portion  of  the  county  in  the  west,  but  little 
attention  has  yet  been  given  to  the  stock  business.  Here  splendid 
summer  ranges  can  yet  be  located,  particularly  in  the  valleys  of 
the  higher  altitudes.  But  it  would  be  necessary  for  a  ranchman 
there  to  provide  hay  to  carry  his  stock  through  occasional  heavy 
snows,  to  which  the  lower  plains  are  not  subject.  This  could 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  155 

easily  be  done  by  means  of  alfalfa  meadows  made  on  bottom 
lands  adjacent  to  streams.  Alfalfa  grows  luxuriantly  at  any 
altitude  below  the  timber  line,  and  can  be  cut  from  two  to  four 
times  a  year,  making  a  forage,  when  well  cured,  upon  which 
cattle  thrive  and  fatten,  and  upon  which  even  hogs  can  be  raised. 
The  mountain  districts  offer  the  best  opportunities  for  men  of 
small  means  to  grow  herds  of  choice  dairy  cattle.  All  dairy 
products  meet  with  ready  sale  at  high  prices,  owing  to»the  diver- 
sified industries  of  the  Territory,  and  the  numerous  mining 
districts  and  commercial  towns. 

Agriculture. 

For  agricultural  purposes  San  Miguel  and  Guadalupe  counties 
possess  as  great  advantages  as  any  other  portion  of  the  Territory. 
The  land  subject  to  irrigation  along  the  streams  of  the  valleys  is 
much  greater  than  a  casual  observer  would  suppose  at  first  sight. 
The  soil  is  almost  invariably  rich,  and  anything  like  intelligent 
farming,  produces  abundant  crops  of  corn,  wheat,  oats,  barley, 
buckwheat,  rye,  alfalfa  and  all  deciduous  and  small  fruits.  There 
are  fine  openings  in  this  section  for  dairy  produce  and  fruit  farms. 
In  fact,  almost  any  industry  pursued  in  the  States  promises  to 
be  remunerative  if  properly  managed. 

Mineral  Resources. 

The  minerals  found  in  this  section  are  similar  to  those  found 
in  many  other  portions  of  the  Territory,  and  constitute,  mainly, 
gold,  silver,  copper,  coal  and  iron.  The  mineral  wealth  of  the 
counties  is  already  an  assured  fact,  and  by  judicious  investment 
and  management,  within  a  comparatively  short  time,  the  yield 
from  precious  metals  will  be  large.  The  mountains  are  almost 
wholly  unexplored,  but  so  far  as  prospecting  has  gone,  the  re- 
sults have  been  surprisingly  flattering. 

Gold  and  silver  bearing  veins  have  been  discovered  in  the 
Tecolote  mountains,  twelve  miles  from  Las  Vegas.  The  ore 
carries  silver  and  gold  principally,  and  although  generally  pro- 
nounced low  grade,  with  occasional  exceptions,  is  abundant  and 


151)  NEW  MEXICO. 


easily  accessible.  A  large  vein  of  copper  ore,  having  some  silver 
and  gold,  has  been  traced  for  many  miles.  These  discoveries  are 
just  west  of  the  Tecolote  river.  Still  further  west,  however,  in  the 
mountains  along  the  Pecos  river  important  developments  of  cop- 
per have  been  made.  The  facts  are,  that  the  mountains  are  mineral 
bearing  throughout,  and  all  that  is  required  is  a  thorough  inves- 
tigation to  demonstrate  beyond  a  doubt  the  great  value  of  the 
deposits.  Good  indications  of  mineral  exist  above  and  near  the 
Las  Vegas  Hot  Springs,  Tecolote  creek,  Sapello,  and  various 
other  points.  Float  native  copper  has  not  only  been  found  in  the 
mountains,  but  likewise  down  the  Pecos  as  far  as  Santa  Rosa,  and 
also  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Bascom.  So  far  as  the  mineral  in  San 
Miguel  and  Guadalupe  counties  is  concerned  it  is  a  virgin  field, 
known  to  exist,  but  little  prospected.  Coa.1  has  been  found  in  va- 
rious places  in  these  counties,  and  of  good  quality,  especially  on 
the  Pecos  river.  The  mica  industry  promises  to  be  of  considerable 
importance.  The  value  of  good  mica  mines  is  too  frequently 
underrated  or  not  understood.  Good  mica  is  always  a  merchant- 
able commodity.  In  fact,  the  demand  is  always  greater  than  the 
supply.  There  are  very  few  localities,  indeed,  where  marketable 
mica  is  found.  New  Hampshire  and  North  Carolina  furnish 
about  all  the  mica  that  is  sold  in  our  markets  and  not  shipped  from 
abroad.  Mica  is  worth  from  fifty  cents  to  $8  per  pound,  the  price 
between  these  sums  depending  upon  its  clearness,  toughness  and> 
size.  Some  of  the  mica  now  being  taken  from  the  mines  in  this 
county  compares  favorable  with  the  best  mica  of  any  locality. 

Las  Vegas  is  the  county  seat  of  San  Miguel  county,  and 
Puerto  de  Luna  the  county  seat  of  Guadalupe  county.  The 
combined  assessed  wealth  of  the  two  counties  is  nearly  Ss. ( )()(>,- 
000,  of  which  over  $(>,000,000  belong  to  San  Miguel. 

* 
Z/as  Vegas. 

Las  Vegas  is  the  county  scat  and  one  of  the  thriving  towns 
of  the  Territory.  It  has  over  8,000  inhabitants.  It  is  composed 
of  two  towns  properly,  lying  on  each  side  of  the  Gallinas  river. 
The  new  town  has  been  built  since  the  advent  of  the  i-ailroad, 


v*     oFTHE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


157 


and  is  characterized  by  that  push  and  energy  that  has  built  up 
the  West.  The  streets  are  wide  and  clean,  the  buildings  com- 
modious and  well  designed.  The  principal  streets  are  lined  with 
modern  business  houses,  and  around  the  depot  are  some  very 


large  warehouses.  Las  Vegas  is  the  end  of  a  division  on  the 
Santa  Fe  route,  and  a  very  important  commercial  point.  An 
extensive  and  rich  country  is  directly  tributary  to  its  markets, 
and  the  energy  of  its  merchants  pushes  its  trade  into  other  terri- 
tories. The  climate  has  over  and  over  been  described  as  very 


158  NEW  MEXICO. 


fine.  A  short  branch  line  connects  the  city  with  the  famous  Hot 
Springs.  The  many  praises  the  climatic  advantages  of  this  resort 
have  received  are  known  the  world  over.  Situated  as  it  is  at  an 
elevation  of  about  6,000  feet,  there  are  no  hot  nor  cold  days.  In 
summer  the  heat  is  cooled  by  the  mountain  winds,  and  in  winter 
the  constant  sunshine  raises  the  daylight  temperature  to  a  brac- 
ing tonic  air. 

A  great  deal  of  the  wool  raised  in  the  Territory  and  a  largo 
proportion  of  the  hides  pass  through  Las  Vegas.  Another  thing, 
the  soil  and  altitude  of  the  northern  tier  of  counties  seems 
excellently  adopted  for  the  culture  of  the  sugar  beets.  According 
to  the  analysis  of  the  Agricultural  Department,  the  highest 
averages  and  percentages  of  purity,  solids  and  sugar  have  been 
attained  from  the  beets  grown  in  this  neighborhood.  The 
establishment  of  a  branch  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Sta- 
tion at  this  place  is  a  very  important  step  in  the  development  of 
this  and  other  agricultural  industries,  as  it  will  carefully  examine 
into  the  details  of  the  culture,  and  formulate  the  general  rules 
of  this  new  industry.  Even  with  the  present  water  supply  a 
factory  erected  at  Las  Yegas  could  command  the  largest  supply 
of  sugar  beets.  The  whole  of  northern  New  Mexico  stands  prom- 
inent in  its  adaptation  to  sugar  making,  and  a  factory  situated 
at  Las  Vegas  could  command  the  trade. 

The  school  system  of  Las  Vegas  is  an  exceedingly  well  con- 
ducted one;  public  and  private  schools  are  many,  and  its  edu- 
cational facilities  will  compare  favorably  with  those  of  towns, 
double  its  size  in  the  States. 

The  Insane  Asylum. 

At  Las  Vegas  is  erected  one  of  the  best  constructed  and  regu- 
lated state  institutions  of  its  kind.  It  is  the  Territorial  Insane 
Asylum,  managed  by  a  board  of  regents  appointed  by  the  gov- 
ernor. It  is  amply  supported  by  the  Territory,  and  has  a  capacity 
for  105  patients,  and  the  counties  throughout  the  Territory  have 
the  right  to  commit  a  number  of  patients  to  this  institution  in 
proportion  to  the  number  of  their  population.  The  average  mini- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  159 

ber  of  inmates  of  this  institution  since  its  completion  early  during 
1893  has  been  about  sixty,  and  its  speaks  well  for  the  location 
and  treatment  that  several  of  the  mildly  afflicted  patients  have 
been  discharged  as  cured  even  during  this  short  time.  There  is 
probable  no  better  site  for  such  an  institution  in  the  United 
States.  Altitude  and  latitude  combine  to  make  it  an  ideal  place 
for  encouraging  the  healthy  growth  of  animal  faculties.  The 
desire  of  the  poet,  "a  healthy  mind  in  a  sound  body"  will  be 
realized  at  least  so  far  as  the  latter  part  of  the  wish  is  concerned, 
and  when  the  body  is  healthy,  the  physician  can  more  easily 
minister  to  the  diseased  mind. 


Puerto  de 

This  town  is  the  county  seat  of  Guadalupe  county,  contains 
about  1,000  inhabitants;  there  is  a  $20,000  court  house  in  the 
town,  some  good  schools  and  several  large  stores.  It  is  the 
center  of  a  good  trade  with  the  surrounding  cattle  and  sheep 
ranches,  and  of  a  fine  farming  country  ;  fruits  do  very  well  in 
the  vicinity  of  this  town,  and  at  Santa  Rosa  and  Eden  are  sev- 
eral tine  orchards.  Hon.  Celso  Baca  owns  one  of  the  best  and 
most  productive  orchards  in  the  vicinity  ;  he  and  several  other 
orchardists  send  fruits,  specially  apples,  to  Las  Vegas,  about 
eighty  miles  off,  and  still  make  a  profit  after  the  long  haul.  The 
town  is  situate  on  the  Pecos  river,  and  there  is  good  system  of 
ditches  around  it.  With  railroad  connection  this  towu  bids  fail- 
to  become  an  important  trade  center  and  a  prosperous  commu- 
nity. Its  climate  is  excellent,  and  many  thousands  of  acres  of 
fine  land  in  its  vicinity,  and  for  many  miles  up  and  down  the 
Pecos  river,  could  be  brought  under  cultivation  by  a  scientifically 
constructed  system  of  ditches,  dams  and  reservoirs.  To  the  east 
and  west  of  the  town  stretch  many  miles  of  the  finest  of  grazing 
country.  A  survey  of  the  Denver  &  El  Paso  Independent  rail- 
road passes  right  near  this  town. 

Railroads. 

The  main  lire  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railroad 
passes  through  western  San  Miguel  county,  from  a  point  a  few 


160 


NEW  MEXICO. 


miles  north  of  Las  Yegas  to  one  near  the  town  of  Glorieta,  in 
Santa  Fe  county;  there  is  also  a  branch  line  from  Las  Vegas  to 
the  famous  Hot  Springs,  six  miles  from  that  town.  The  roadgoes 
through  a  most  picturesque  section,  through  mountain  passes, 
over  broad  plains  with  high  mesas  and  grand  mountains  on  either 
side,  through  heavy  timber  and  some  fine  agricultural  country. 

The  Upper  Pecos. 

The  Pecos  timber  reservation  comprises  702    square  miles, 
covering  a  portion  of  western  San  Miguel,  southern  Tans  and 


Church  in  Las  Vegas. 

northeastern  Santa  Fe  counties.  The  region  is  rugged  and  moun- 
tainous, and  here  innumerable  small  streams  have  their  origin, 
and,  flowing  southward,  form  the  source  of  the  Rio  Pecos,  which 
cuts  the  reservation  about  midway  between  Las  Yegas  and  Santa 
Fe.  Here  for  twenty  miles  north  of  Glorieta  mountains  nesll^s 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  attractive  upland  valleys  in  all  the 
Rocky  mountains.  Fine  farms  with  an  abundance  of  water  to 
irrigate  them  string  out  along  the  rivers  edge  of  the  streams, 
and  crawl  up  under  the  sheltered  sides  of  the  valley,  and  along 
the  tributary  streams,  Willow  creek,  Rio  de  la  Baca,  the  Chape- 
rito  and  Windsor  creek  are  also  to  be  found  thrifty  farms  and 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  101 

small  ranches.  Oats,  potatoes,  barley  and  timothy  are  chiefly 
grown,  and  the  ranch  houses  and  homes  for  live  stock  raising, 
whose  flocks  and  herds  are  numerous,  abound.  As  a  live  stock 
country  the  locality  is  specially  adapted  to  the  raising  of  horses. 
The  snow  seldom  lays  longer  than  forty-eight  hours  on  the  great 
mountain  sides  sloping  toward  the  sun,  and  horsemen  assert  that 
in  grazing  upon  these  precipitous  pastures  the  colts  are  com- 
pelled to  occupy  a  position  that  expands  and  develops  their  lungs 
to  an  abundant  degree.  A  Texas  horseman  who  has  had  expe- 
rience in  this  locality  suggests  that  the  fast  horse  of  the  future 
will  be  produced  in  the  dry  air  of  the  Upper  Pecos. 

But  it  is  as  a  pleasure  and  health  resort  that  this  locality  has 
become  famous.  The  scenic  effects  are  grand.  The  country  is 
wild  and  broken  and  much  game  abounds,  including  bear  and 
deer,  while  the  streams  are  literally  alive  with  mountain  trout 
running  as  high  as  five  pounds  in  weight.  From  a  health- 
seeker's  standpoint  this  is  one  of  the  most  delightful  spots  in 
the  summer  and  fall  that  one  could  wish  for,  and  annually  hun- 
dreds of  people  from  the  southern  part  of  the  Territory  and  from 
Texas  and  other  points  go  into  camp  along  this  beautiful  valley, 
and  enjoy  and  regain  vigor  and  strength  thereby  while  hunting 
or  fishing  along  the  Pecos  river. 

Splendid  pine  forests  cover  the  mountains  and  mesas,  and  the 
timber  industry  is  an  important  one.  Copper  and  silver  bearing 
leads  have  also  been  discovered  hereabouts.  It  is  to  this  locality 
that  the  world  to-day  owes  the  fact  of  cheap  aluminum.  At  the 
village  of  Hamilton,  twenty-five  miles  north  of  Glorieta,  is  a 
group  of  copper  mines  owned  by  the  Cowles  Bros.,  formerly  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  now  the  widely  known  aluminum  producers  of 
Lockport,  New  York.  These  young  men  came  to  Santa  Fe  in 
search  of  health  some  ten  years  ago,  and  they  soon  found  both 
health  and  wealth.  Becoming  interested  in  these  mines  they  set 
about  seeking  a  proper  process  for  reducing  the  ore  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  save  both  the  silver  and  copper,,  the  ore  being 
somewhat  refractory. 

Accordingly  they  made  numerous  experiments,  and,  among 
other  things,  shipped  to  the  Brush  Electric  Works  at  Cleveland 


162 


NEW  MEXICO. 


a  carload  of  ore  which  was  tested  by  the  electric  process.  On 
this  test  it  was  developed  that  a  certain  clay  which  was  abun- 
dant along  with  this  ore  could  be  utilized  for  the  production  of 
aluminum,  and  the  Cowles  Bros,  were  long  in  discussing  at 
Lockport  clay  of  a  similar  nature,  hence  their  great  addition  to 
the  find  of  both  science  and  industry. 


SANTA  FE  COUNTY. 


Santa  Fe  is  the  central  county  of  the  Territory,  and  is  traversed 
from  east  to  west  by  the  main  line  of  railroad  in  the  Territory, 
the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railroad.  The  commerce  of 
New  Mexico  with  the  rest  of  the  United  States  began  from  the 
county  seat,  Santa  Fe,  which  is  also  the  capital  of  the  Territory* 
The  county  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  36th  degree  of  lati- 
tude, and  extends  south  a  distance  of  seventy-two  miles  or  some- 
what below  the  35th  degree.  It  is  thirty  miles  wide,  and  has  a 
total  area  of  1,498,000  acres,  of  which,  according  to  the  figures 


Santa  Fe. 

of  the  surveyor  general,  975,000  are  irrigable,  arable  or  fit  for 
pasture.  The  surface  of  the  country  is  beautifully  diversified. 
Mountains,  valleys  and  mesa  plains  break  the  contours.  On  the 
eastern  boundary  the  main  range  of  the  Rockies  protect  the  plains 
from  violent  winds,  while  on  the  west  the  Jemez  and  Valle  moun- 
tains perform  the  same  office.  It  comprises  most  of  that  area 
selected  by  the  Spaniards  as  most  adaptable  to  the  purposes  of 
colonization.  Here  after  careful  investigation  the  first  European 
settlement  was  made  at  Santa  F6  in  1605.  The  general  altitude, 


164  NEW  MEXICO. 


varying  from  5,000  feet  in  the  south  to  7,000  feet  at  the  city  of 
Santa  Fe,  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  reminding  the  colonists  of 
their  homes  under  the  Sierras  of  Spain,  the  bracing  air,  the  blue 
sky  and  the  running  streams,  all  combined  to  fix  the  residence 
of  these  hardy  wanderers.  The  first  permanent  colony  founded 
by  them  was  named  the  City  of  the  Holy  Faith  of  Saint  Francis, 
in  memory  of  that  Santa  Fe  in  old  Spain,  where  Columbus  re- 
ceived the  order  to  discover  a  new  world,  and  from  which  he  set 
out  for  Palos. 

The  county  may  be  divided  into  irrigable  lands  occurring 
everywhere  that  water  is  found ;  pastoral  lands,  covering  all  the 
valley  and  table  lands,  and  mineral  land  in  all  the  mountainous 
parts,  but  especially  in  the  southern  portion. 

To  meet  the  demands  of  commerce  growing  out  of  all  these 
industries,  there  is  sufficient  railroad  accommodation.  The  Santa 
Fe"  railway  crosses  the  Territory  from  east  to  west  at  about  the 
center.  From  Lamy,  a  station  on  the  main  line,  a  branch  of 
this  road  extends  to  Santa  Fe;  over  which  traffic  is  so  arranged 
that  only  small  freight  has  to  be  trans-shipped.  From  Santa  Fe 
north  the  Santa  F6  Southern  connects  with  the  main  line  of  the 
Denver  &•  Rio  Grande  railroad  at  Espanola.  It  will  therefore  be 
seen  that  this  county  and  the  capital  have  direct  communication 
with  the  four  corners  of  the  country  at  large.  There  are  two 
routes  to  the  Pacific  coast;  two  to  Denver  and  direct  communi- 
cation over  one  of  the  greatest  trans-continental  lines  with  the 
East  and  South. 

Irrigation. 

The  extent  of  tillage  is  not  very  considerable  on  account  of 
the  inconstant  water  in  the  streams  of  this  county.  AVith  the 
exception  that  its  altitude  is  greatly  higher,  this  county  greatly 
resembles  Southern  California  in  topography.  The  streams  rise 
on  the  sides  of  abrupt  mountains,  pour  precipitously  into  the 
comparatively  level  plains  and  exhaust  themselves.  Many  of 
them  give  a  constant  flow  during  the  year;  but  the  least  amount 
of  water  occurs  at  just  the  season  when  it  is  most  needed.  In 
the  late  summer  and  early  autumn  water  is  needed  very  much 


THE 


100  NEW  MEXICO. 


to  mature  the  crop,  and  no  matter  how  great  a  volume  of  water 
was  available  during  the  spring,  only  so  much  of  the  crop  can 
be  ripened  as  is  irrigated  during  the  entire  season.  For  this 
reason,  just  as  in  Southern  California,  storage  reservoirs  are 
needed  to  cultivate  the  possible  area  of  irrigation.  The  possi- 
bilities of  reclamation  in  Santa  Fe  county  are  very  great.  It  is 
estimated  that  the  amount  of  rain  (from  three  to  four  inches) 
that  fell  on  the  water  shed  of  the  Rio  Santa  Fe,  a  small  stream, 
during  thirty-two  hours  of  September  27  and  2<S,  189H,  was 
sufficient  to  irrigate  for  one  year  11,200  acres  of  land.  The  total 
yearly  precipitation  of  rain  and  snow,  allowing  for  evaporation 
and  seepage  is  enough  to  irrigate  between  20,000  and  25,000 
acres  of  land.  This  is  only  from  one  source — the  Rio  Santa  Fe. 
The  Nam  be  carries  four  times  as  much  water  as  the  Santa  Fe, 
and  by  careful  conservation  of  its  flow  could  irrigate  a  much 
larger  area.  Besides  these  the  waters  of  the  Tesuque,  Galisteo 
and  various,  arroyos  could  be  stored  and  delivered  as  needed  on 
the  Santa  Fe  plains,  a  solid  body  of  land  of  92,000  acres.  This 
can  all  be  irrigated  at  somewhat  less  than  the  usual  expense. 

At  present  there  are  19,540  acres  irrigated  annually,  and  there 
are  18,440  acres  settled  in  addition  to  this  for  the  purpose  of 
dry  farming.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  this  latter  area  under 
a  good  system  of  ditches  and  reservoirs  could  be  made  much 
more  productive  than  it  is  now.  In  the  immediate  canons  and 
stream  beds  of  the  various  creeks  there  are  13,940  acres  that 
could  be  reclaimed  in  addition  to  the  amounts  now  actually  cul- 
tivated. The  inducements  to  capital  to  develop  irrigation  works 
in  this  county  are  very  great.  An  area  of  557,880  acres  is  in- 
cluded in  Mexican  and  Spanish  land  grants,  the  titles  of  which 
could  be  cheaply  purchased  and  the  land  improved.  In  brief 
it  may  be  said  of  Santa  Fe  county  that  it  affords  425,000  acres 
of  the  best  grazing  land,  partially  covered  with  timber,  and  about 
500,000  acres  of  arable  land,  200,000  acres  of  which  can  be  irri- 
gated. This  will  not  all  be  from  one  source,  possibly  one  50,- 
000  acre  tract  lying  under  the  Nambe  will  be  by  far  the  largest. 
The  suggestions  concerning  colonies  elsewhere  in  this  book  are 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION.  167 

all  highly  applicable  to  Santa  Fe.  The  soil  is  just  as  rich  and 
productive,  and  for  some  little  time  to  come  the  opportunities 
to  plant  a  colony  will  be  exceptional.  Parties  consisting  of  say 
100  families  could  now  have  a  pick  and  choice  of  several  beau- 
tiful 5,000  acre  tracts,  that  they  could  put  under  water  at  a 
nominal  outlay  if  they  determined  to  do  the  work  themselves, 
or  very  cheaply  if  the  water  is  contracted  for  with  local  irrigation 
companies.  It  would  be  invidious  to  mention  special  tracts,  but 
the  Bureau  of  Immigration  will  give  personal  attention  to  the 
planting  of  such  colonies  either  in  Santa  Fe  or  any  other  county. 

Available  Water. 

The  Santa  F6  creek,  at  the  canon,  has  a  flow  during  February, 
March  and  April  of  each  year  of  eighty  acre  feet  per  day.  This 
is  sufficient  to  supply  100  days  of  irrigation.  This  flow  comes 
from  the  spring  rains  in  the  mountains.  The  flow  from  the 
melted  snow  and  the  summer  rains  of  July  and  August  is  very 
heavy.  During  these  two  months  the  normal  rainfall  observed 
at  Santa  Fe  is  2.48  inches.  Allowing  as  is  shown  by  observation 
that  this  normal  for  these  two  months  is  greater  close  into  the 
mountains  and  in  the  canons,  it  may  be  conservatively  estimated 
that  six  inches  of  rain  falls  during  the  same  period  on  the  drain- 
age of  the  Santa  Fe  above  the  mouth  of  the  canon.  This  area 
is  about  fifty  square  miles.  Assuming  that  33  per  cent^of  this 
precipitation  is  lost  by  evaporation  and  seepage,  and  we  have 
during  these  two  months  alone  an  available  10,720  acre  feet  of 
water,  or  sufficient  for  that  amount  of  land.  The  remaining 
seven  months  of  the  year  are  yet  to  be  accounted  for;  and  it  will 
therefore  be  seen  that  storage  of  the  waters  of  the  Santa  F6 
creek  will  supply  20,000  acres  of  land.  The  observed  summer 
rainfall  at  the  canon  mouth  is:  July,  2.83  inches,  August,  2.154 
inches  and  September,  2.68  inches.  Anyone  who  will  make  the 
necessary  calculations  will  see  at  once  how  conservative  is  the 
above  estimate  of  possible  reclamation. 

The  Nambe  creek  runs  about,  four  times  the  water  of  the 
Santa  Fe,  and  will  consequently  irrigate  (50,000  acres,  and  the 
storage  basins  on  its  course  are  very  numerous. 


lr>s  NEW  MEXICO. 


The  Tesuque  has  an  aggregate  flow  about  the  same  as  the 
Santa  Fe;  and  the  Galisteo  runs  about  half  the  volume  of  the 
Santa  Fe. 

From  these  sources  alone  therefore  110,000  acres  may  be 
irrigated.  This  reclamation  may  be  accomplished  without  the 
aid  of  the  Rio  Grande,  which  at  the  Embudo  canon  has  a  strong 
and  constant  flow.  The  difference  in  altitude  between  this  point 
and  the  Santa  Fe  plains  is  200  feet.  The  problem  of  irrigation 
from  an  engineer's  standpoint  is  easy  ;  the  only  thing  lacking  is 
capital.  These  plains  are  completely  sheltered  by  mountain 
ranges.  The  soil  is  porous  and  fertile,  the  air  dry,  and  the 
elevation  just  suited  for  a  perfect  sanitarium.  The  return  on 
capital  invested  to  make  small  fruit  farms  fertile  would  be  large 
and  certain.  There  is  no  reason  why  an  invalid  should  pay  large 
hospital  charges  to  regain  his  health,  when  by  a  small  outlay 
he  can  secure  healthful  employment,  and  a  good  living  off  a  ten 
acre  fruit  farm.  The  annual  returns  from  the  properly  conducted 
places  around  Santa  Fe  would  stagger  the  pastern  man.  Ten 
acres  laid  down  to  berries,  peaches,  pears,  plums,  apples  and 
other  deciduous  fruits  should  pay  from  $300  to  $400  per  acre. 
This  will  be  comprehended  if  the  reader  will  estimate  the  yields 
of  fruit  in  his  neighborhood  at  the  prices  quoted  in  the  list  given 
in  the  article  on  New  Mexico. 


Public  I^ 

In  this  connection  it  may  also  be  mentioned  that  there  are 
over  .100.000  acres  of  public  laud  available  for  settlement  in  this 
county,  much  of  which  is  adaptable  to  irrigation.  Celery  and 
asparagus  grown  around  Santa  Fe  have  a  wide  reputation,  and 
the  new  settler  can  make  profits  equal  to  fruit  from  their  culture. 
At  the  same  time  they  are  almost  impossible  to  hurt  by  irriga- 
tion. and  two  of  the  very  best  crops  a  novice  in  the  art  could 
plant. 

Prices  of  J^and. 

(  Jood  locations  may  be  found  on  the  public  lands.  The  govern- 
ment price  of  desert  land  is  §1.2o  per  acre  payable  twenty-  five- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  1(>1) 

cents  per  acre  down  and  the  balance  when  reclamation  is  proved 
or  at  the  end  of  three  years.  The  individual  settler  may  locate  320 
acres,  and  it  will  pay  to  reclaim,  such  places  by  means  of  wind- 
mills. Cultivated  land  runs  all  the  way  from  $20  to  $100  per 
acre.  There  are  many  improved  places  that  are  held  at  from 
$300  to  $500  per  acre.  This  shows  the  surety  of  a  farm  invest- 
ment in  this  locality.  No  one  need  fear  a  depreciation  of  prop- 
erty. The  settler  need  not  fear  that  a  good  profit  cannot  be 
made  from  the  cultivation  of  cereals  and  the  staple  crops.  Al- 
falfa and  wheat  are  steady  payers  in  all  the  valleys. 

Mining. 

Mineral  wealth  is  found  all  over  the  county,  but  especially  in 
the  southern  part.  The  Old  and  New  Placers  are  famous  sources 
of  wealth.  From  these  beds  the  early  Spaniards  extracted  sev- 
eral millions  of  gold  by  the  crudest  methods.  They  took  the 
snows  in  the  canons  and  of  the  blizzards  and  melted  it  by  means 
of  heated  rocks,  and  with  the  scanty  supplies  of  water  thus 
obtained  washed  out  the  precious  metal.  Modern  science  has, 
however,  improved  on  this  operation.  At  San  Pedro  and  at 
Kelley's  deep  bore  wells  have  been  sunk  and  Knowles  and  Dean 
pumps  attached.  These  wells  furnish  an  unlimited  supply  of 
water  for  washing  the  dirt.  At  Golden  another  scheme  has  been 
started,  but  as  the  well  was  sunk  in  a  deep  intrusion  of  shale, 
no  sufficient  amount  of  water  was  found  to  warrant  the  company 
beginning  operations.  The  well  borers,  however,  say  if  the  drill 
was  put  clown  1,000  feet  instead  of  .430,  the  present  depth,  a 
sufficient  volume  of  water  could  be  found  to  answer  all  purposes. 
The  lode  mines  are  not  behind  the  placers.  The  Ortiz  moun- 
tains and  the  dividing  range  between  the  Pecos  and  Kio  Grande 
basins  are  filled  with  ore.  The  Territory  ranks  fifth  in  the  Union 
in  point  of  precious  mineral  production ;  but  when  the  coal  mines 
are  brought  to  their  best  output  it  will  take  a  much  higher  place. 

The  coal  measures  around  Cerrillos  are  alone  capable  of  sup- 
plying the  West  for  several  generations  to  come.  Experts  who 
have  examined  these  mines  report  to  the  owners  that  the  supply 

28 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  171 


seems  inexhaustible;  in  fact,  "that  the  next  five  generations  of 
men  will  not  see  a  perceptible  decrease  in  the  quantity."  In 
matter  of  variety  no  coal  field  shows  a  greater  range.  Here  are 
soft,  free  coking  veins  and  non-coking  bituminous,  also  semi- 
anthracite,  anthracite.  Natural  beds  of  coke  are  found  in  some 
places,  and  besides  this  bituminous  and  anthracite  veins  are 
found  in  alternate  strata  in  the  same  mines.  This  phenomenon 
puz/les  all  the  geologists,  but  it  is  probably  a  corollary  of  the 
natural  coke  beds,  and  caused  by  the  heat  of  the  porphyric  dykes 
that  intrude  into  the  general  formation.  The  certainty  is  that 
southern  Santa  Fe  county  will  not  take  second  place  with  the 
famous  coal  fields  of  Pennsylvania,  West  Virginia,  Tennessee  or 
Illinois.  The  territory  in  which  the  fuel  is  found  is  compact, 
and  the  different  varieties  are  contiguous.  Indeed,  one  trunk 
line  of  railroad  could  serve  all  the  mines.  To  accommodate  the 
demands  a  $30,000  coal  crusher  has  been  erected  during  the 
summer. 

Not  alone  in  precious  and  industrial  minerals  is  Santa  Fe 
county  pre-eminent,  but  in  the  production  of  precious  stones  it 
has  high  standing  among  the  experts  of  the  world.  At  Tur- 
quesa,  northwest  from  Cerrillos,  are  found  the  best  turquoise 
beds  now  known.  In  lustre  and  permanent  sky  blue  color  the 
gems  from  these  mines  surpass  those  of  Persia.  Tiffany  Brothers' 
expert  has  pronounced  these  stones  the  purest  and  best  mined  in 
the  world  Garnets  nearly  as  fine  as  rubies  are  commonly  found. 

The  mining  propositions  are  not  only  various  but  profitable. 
Gold  and  silver  lodes  from  a  foot  to  thirty-five  feet  broad  are 
open  ;  placers  run  from  twenty-five  cents  to  $2.50  per  cubic  yard ; 
and  the  coal  veins  are  from  five  to  ten  feet  thick.  Metallic  and 
magnetic  iron  are  found  in  paying  quantities. 

Santa  Fe. 

The  county  seat  and  territorial  capital  is  the  historic  city  of 
Santa  Fe.  It  was  founded  in  1605,  and  is  the  oldest  capital  on 
American  soil.  Founded  as  it  was  before  Plymouth  pr  James- 
town, it  abounds  in  points  of  historic  interest,  and  is  surrounded 


172  NEW  MEXICO. 


with  edifices  of  vast  archaeological  importance.  The  mountains 
embrace  it  with  loving  arms,  and  it  is  perfectly  sheltered  from 
wind  and  storm.  Here  is  located  the  famous  "Palace,"  the  only 
building  in  America  known  by  that  proud  title.  For  two  and  a 

~~~*>'-W?  ~~"nEII»aaMaiiME  (luai*ter  centuries  this 

"  building  was  the  offi- 
cial   home    of    the 
Spanish  and  the  gov- 
ernors of  the  Repub- 
II  lie  of  Mexico.    Since 
—  mX  the  American   occu- 

pation   it   has    been 
the  abode  of  the  ter- 

Palace.  ritoHal  government. 

Besides  many  tragedies  and  scenes  of  thrilling  interest,  it 
boasts  the  fame  of  being  the  birthplace  of  some  of  Lew  Wal- 
lace's best  works. 

The  San  Miguel  church,  built  in  1630,  and  the  oldest  Euro- 
pean house  standing  in  the  United  States,  built  in  1606,  are 
among  its  quaint  features.  The  town  is  surrounded  by  majestic 
mountains  cut  with  canons  of  surpassing  beauty.  The  Aztec 
pueblos  of  Nambe,  Tesuque  and  San  Ildefonso  are  still  peopled 
with  the  children  of  the  primal  race ;  and  Monument  Rock  and 
Aztec  Springs  vie  with  them  in  interest  and  beauty  of  scenery. 
The  military  post  of  Fort  Marcy  is  located  in  this  city,  also  a  fed- 
eral building  erected  in  renaissance  Gothic  style.  The  cathedral  is 
built  of  stone,  and  is  a  beautiful  structure.  The  Christian  Brothers' 
College,  the  Academy  of  the  Sisters  of  Loretto,  the  public  high 
schools,  are  well  built  and  well  attended  seats  of  education.  The 
Presbyterian,  Methodist  and  Episcopal  churches  are  well  de- 
signed buildings  and  have  large  congregations.  The  St.  Vincent 
sanitarium  and  hospital  are  among  the  best  regulated  institu- 
tions in  the  country.  No  contagious  or  infectious  disease  is 
allowed  to  enter  the  precincts  of  the  sanitarium,  but  it  is  con- 
ducted solely  for  the  benefit  of  the  weakly  and  invalid.  The 
lh>st  caiv  of  tho  Sisters  is  lavished  on  the  inmates. 


BY    THE    BUBEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION.  1?3 

Santa  Fe,  as  the  territorial  capital,  is  the  headquarters  of  all 
the  federal  and  territorial  officials.  The  legislature,  the  supreme 
court  and  all  territorial  boards  meet  here.  Besides  the  schools 
mentioned  the  city  contains  a  public  high  school,  the  Methodist 
mission  school  and  the  Presbyterian  select  and  mission  schools, 
and  the  Kamona,  St.  Catherine  and  Government  Indian 
schools. 

Owing  to  various  causes  the  commerce  of  this  city  is  so  great 
and  steady  that  the  two  railroads  entering  regard  the  tracks 
immediately  tributary  thereto  as  the  best  paying  sections  on 
their  lines. 

The  Santa  Fe  Water  Works. 

It  is  not  alone  in  schools,  churches  and  public  buildings  that 
Santa  Fe  rivals  her  neighbors ;  she  is  progressing  materially  in 
the  matter  of  irrigation.  During  the  past  two  years  there  has 
been  built  at  the  mouth  of  the  Santa  Fe"  canon  one  of  the  best 
reservoirs  in  the  world.  Dr.  Danter,  of  the  American  Health 
Kesort  Association,  says:  "It  is  worth  traveling  miles  to  taste 
this  pure  water  that  comes  down  from  a  cut  in  the  mountains." 
The  dam  is  thrown  across  the  canon  so  as  to  impound  the  greatest 
possible  amount  of  water  at  this  point.  It  is  of  clay  with  three 
cores  of  cement,  which  are  also  protected  on  each  side  with  a 
sort  of  armor  of  triple  pile  sheathing.  The  dam  is  of  puddled  clay 
350  feet  thick  at  the  base  and  120  feet  high  in  the  deepest 
part  of  the  canon.  It  is  built  on  bed  rock,  and  the  cores  are 
keyed  into  the  same.  The  old  town  reservoir  and  dam  farther 
up  the  caiioii  is  utilized  as  a  settling  basin ;  and  from  above  this 
dam  a  four  by  six  foot  tunnel  is  taken  under  the  reservoir,  and 
delivers  all  roiled  or  muddy  water  below  the  spillway.  This  spill- 
way is  a  notable  feature.  It  is  at  the  southern  end  of  the  dam 
and  ten  feet  below  its  crest.  The  surface  is  such  that  the  water 
shoals  for  a  considerable  distance  above.  It  is  built  in  the  shape 
of  a  semicircle  drawn  around  a  chord  of  600  feet.  The  outward 
face  is  built  so  as  to  resemble  as  nearly  as  possible  half  of  a  great 
funnel.  No  matter  therefore  how  violent  the  flood  may  be,  the 


BY    THE    BUKEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION.  175 


waste  water  is  gently  poured  over  the  lip  of  the  spillway  aiid 
gradually  debouched  into  a  canal.  At  present  this  water  is 
returned  to  the  river,  but  the  plan  is  to  take  it  by  a  seven  mile 
canal  southwest  to  the  Arroyo  Hondo,  a  natural  storage  basin, 
where  it  will  be  used  to  irrigate  15,000  acres  of  beautiful,  level 
mesa.  The  water  for  use  is  delivered  through  a  water  tower  on 
the  inside  face  of  the  dam,  so  constructed  that  water  can  be 
drawn  oft'  at  any  level.  It  is  then  sent  outside  the  dam  in  pipes, 
delivered  to  an  aerating  fountain,  and  thrown  sixty  feet  into 
the  air.  Thence  it  comes  to  the  city  supply  pipes.  Water 
in  the  fire  hydrants  is  under  144  pounds  pressure  to  the  inch. 

This  dam  up  to  date  has  cost  over  $260,000,  but  it  is  only  the 
initial  project  of  a  vast  scheme  of  reclamation.  In  addition  to 
the  Arroyo  Hondo  works,  mentioned  above,  the  same  company 
propose  to  store  the  Nambe  waters  and  irrigate  50,000  acres. 

Preliminary  surveys  have  been  made  on  both  these  projects, 
and  the  active  and  actual  work  will  be  well  under  way  by  the 
opening  of  spring,  but  not  sufficiently  advanced  to  deliver  water 


for  irrigation. 


Cerrillos. 


This  town  is  known  by  the  soubriquet  of  Little  Pitts- 
burg,  which  amply  sets  forth  its  characteristics.  It  is  on  the 
line  of  the  Santa  F6  route,  and  is  the  principal  market  for  all 
southern  mining  interests  of  the  county.  The  Cerrillos  mining 
district  is  famous  as  a  silver  producer.  Besides  this  it  is  the 
depot  for  the  coal  mines  before  described.  This  camp  has  had 
its  ups  and  downs,  but  is  a  flourishing  place  now.  Besides  coal 
and  precious  metals  it  is  surrounded  by  iron  ores  and  limestone 
quarries.  Petroleum  has  been  discovered.  A  handsome  school 
house  has  been  erected ;  and  the  town  generally  is  on  the  high 
road  of  success. 

Northern  Santa  Fe  County. 

Just  as  the  southern  part  of  the  county  is  famous  for  and 
favored  in  its  vast  mineral  resources,  so  is  the  northern  half  of 
the  county  in  its  agricultural  development.  Beginning  at  the 


176 


NEW  MEXICO. 


towns  of  Espanola  and  San  Ildefonso,  about  thirty  miles  north 
of  Santa  Fe,  is  a  series  of  beautiful  valleys.  The  Espanola, 
Santa  Cruz,.Chama  and  Pojoaque  valleys  support  a  population  of 
about  4, 000  people,  who  are  mostly  engaged  in  the  raising  of  fruit 
and  cereals.  In  Chimayo,  Quemado  and  Las  Trnchas  valleys  the 
land  is  principally  devoted  to  wheat,  yielding  at  the  rate  of  35 
bushels  per  acre.  These  valleys  are  all  subdivisions  of  the  Kio 
Grande  valley  and  have  an  abundance  of  water 
during  the  whole  year.  The  system  of  irri- 
gation in  vogue  is  the  community  ditch. 
These,  while  presenting  many  advantages, 
are  hardly  equal  to  the  demands  of  the  fu- 
ture. One  large  ditch  taken  out  of  the  Rio 


jar 


San  Franciscp  Street,  Santa  Fe. 


Grande  at  Embudo,  or  White  Rock  canon,  would  serve  many 
times  more  land  than  is  now  cultivated.  The  Rio  Grande  in 
this  section  is  a  constant  stream,  and  at  no  period  of  the  year 
is  it  low  enough  to  warrant  apprehension  that  if  all  the  land  were 
irrigated  there  would  be  a  dearth  of  water. 

Some  of  the  advantages  of  this  section  may  be  briefly  sum- 
marized. First,  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  railroad,  and  its 
extension  to  Santa  Fe~,  known  as  the  Santa  F6  Southern,  runs  a 
daily  train  each  way.  This  road  passes  directly  through  the 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  177 

farming  or  orchard  land,  and  a  trip  over  it  shows  a  continuous 
succession  of  small,  highly  cultivated  farms.  As  an  instance  of 
what  can  be  done,  one  man  at  Espanola  owns  six  acres  planted 
to  a  growing  orchard  that  will  come  into  bearing  next  year. 
He  claims  that  by  cultivating  the  ground  between  the  tree  rows 
he  has  netted  every  year  $200  per  acre.  This  is  only  one 
instance.  At  Espaiiola  one  store  does  a  business  of  $100,000 
per  year.  At  Santa  Cruz  there  is  a  well  equipped  steam  flour 
mill. 

During  1893,  when  the  Denver  &  Eio  Grande  officials  were 
studying  the  reduction  of  expense  on  their  road  it  was  found 
that  the  best  paying  piece  of  track  011  the  whole  system  was 
this  through  the  Kio  Grande  valley  in  Santa  Fe  county.  The 
great  amount  of  vegetables,  wheat,  flour,  fruit  and  honey  that 
is  exported  from  this  section  is  of  more  importance  than  the 
traffic  of  the  best  ore  or  farming  region  on  any  part  of  the  road. 

Lands  in  this  section  with  water  right,  but  unimproved,  sell 
for  $5  to  $25  per  acre.  Improved  they  range  from  $25  to 
$500.  During  the  last  three  years  about  100  American  families 
have  settled  in  this  region. 

Conclusion. 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  said  that  Santa  Fe  is  progressing.  Her 
resources  are  manifold,  her  people  are  branching  out  in  various 
enterprises.  Irrigation  is 'receiving  the  very  closest  attention. 
Mining  is  developing  very  rapidly.  In  a  word,  the  county  is 
rapidly  taking  a  front  rank. 


28 


Scene  in  Albuquerque. 


BERNALILLO  COUNTY. 


Bernalillo  county  is  one  of  the  largest  and  richest  counties 
in  New  Mexico.  It  is  the  first  county  in  point  of  population, 
and  has  an  area  of  5,024,136  acres,  with  nearly  one  1,000,000 
acres  subject  to  irrigation,  and  about  3,000,000  acres  fit  for 
pasture.  Only  12,500  acres  are  now  actually  irrigated  and 
cultivated,  leaving  nearly  99  per  cent  of  the  available  irrigable 
land  of  the  county  still  open  for  settlement. 

The  county  is  of  irregular  shape,  being  about  seventy-five 
miles  from  north  to  south  at  its  widest  point  and  having  an 
extreme  breadth  from  east  to  west  of  about  200  miles. 

Rivers. 

The  principal  streams  of  the  county  are  the  Rio  Grande,  Rio 
Puerco  and  the  Rio  Jemez.  The  Rio  Grande  traverses  the 
county  from  north  to  south  for  a  distance  of  about  sixty  miles. 
Broad  alluvial  bottoms  skirt  this  stream  on,  either  side.  The 
principal  seat  of  population  is  located  in  this  valley ;  and  it  is 
noted  for  the  quality  as  well  as  the  quantity  of  its  fruits,  grains 
and  vegetables. 

Grapes. 

This  valley  is  especially  adapted  to  grape  culture,  and  this 
fruit  now  successfully  competes  in  every  market  to  which  it 
has  been  introduced  with  the  choicest  product  of  the  Cali- 
fornia vineyards. 

The  grape  most  generally  cultivated  is  that  known  as  the 
"Mission"  variety,  supposed  to  have  been  introduced  by  the 
Franciscan  friars  and  cultivated  in  the  valley  for  the  past  two 
centuries.  Some  small  vineyards  of  the  "Muscatel"  are  also 
found,  but  generally  as  a  table  grape,  coming  into  market  a 
short  time  before  the  other. 


180  NEW  MEXICO. 


The  vineyards  are  almost  always  started  from  cuttings,  plant- 
ed from  six  to  ten  feet  apart  each  way,  though  some  growers 
prefer  to  trench  the  cuttings  and  root  them  for  planting  the 
first  or  second  year  after  in  the  places  where  they  are  to  re- 
main. The  Mexican  method  of  culture  does  not  require  stak- 
ing or  trellising,  and  the  first  three  years  are  directed  more 
particularly  to  give  strength  to  the  main  trunk.  The  vine  is 
closely  trimmed  each  year,  all  superfluous  wood  cut  away  and 
only  the  trunk  and  a  few  short  branches  left,  so  that  a  well 
cared  for  plant  of  a  few  years  growth  resembles  a  dwarf  tree. 
It  is  necessary  in  setting  out  the  cuttings  to  pack  the  soil 
closely  about  them,  to  turn  the  water  onto  the  plant  from  the 
irrigating  ditch  as  soon  as  possible  and,  when  sufficiently  dry, 
repack  the  dirt.  There  is  nothing  more  to  do  the  first  season 
than  to  irrigate  the  vineyards  at  certain  intervals  and  keep  the 
ground  free  from  weeds  until  November,  when  the  vines  are 
covered  with  earth  to  protect  them  from  the  cold  until  spring. 
The  time  for  uncovering  varies  among  the  different  growers 
from  the  middle  of  February  until  the  first  of  April.  They  are 
then  allowed  to  stand  from  ten  days  to  a  month  and  then 
trimmed.  But  few  grapes  will  be  produced  until  the  third  sea- 
son, but  the  labor  of  the  cultivator  is  needed  every  year  in 
stirring  the  soil,  removing  suckers,  trimming,  covering  and  un- 
covering. 

Deciduous   Fruits. 

Much  attention  is  now  being  given  to  larger  fruits,  and, 
though  it  has' only  been  about  twelve  years  since  the  improved 
varieties  of  American  fruits  were  first  introduced,  fine  orchards 
are  flourishing  in  every  settlement.  These  are  yielding  large 
returns  and  doing  much  to  establish  and  maintain  the  reputa- 
tion which  New  Mexico  is  so  rapidly  acquiring  as  one  of  the 
finest  and  most  successful  fruit  growing  districts  on  the  Ameri- 
can continent.  The  fruits  of  the  temperate  zone,  without  ex- 
ception, find  a  kindly  home  in  the  Bio  Grande  valley.  Apples 
however  will  thrive  better  on  the  uplands  than  in  the  low  bot- 
tom lands.  In  the  high  mountain  valleys  this  fruit  can  be 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


181 


raised  without  irrigation  on  account  of  the  always  abundant 
rain,  and  the  heavy  snows  of  winter  seem  to  improve  the  quali- 
ty and  flavor  of  the  apple,  especially  the  late  varieties.  Peaches, 
plums,  cherries  and  apricots  thrive  better  in  the  valleys. 

Grain  and  Hay. 

Wheat  raised  in  this  county   compares  favorably  with  the 
best  in  the  United  States  for  weight  and  quality.      Corn,  oats, 


An  Albuquerque  Residence. 

barley  and  rye  do  equally  as  well.  These  crops  do  well  on  up- 
lands or  bottom  lands;  but  it  must  always  be  remembered 
that  it  does  not  pay  to  raise  grain  at  $20  or  $25  per  acre  profit, 
when  fruit  pays  from  $150  to  $700  per  acre. 

Alfalfa. 

This  crop  thrives  all  over  the  county.     In  some  few  places 
it  grows  without  irrigation ;  but  in  the  valleys  where  water  is 


182  NEW  MEXICO. 


abundant  four  cuttings  of  about  1^  tons  to  the  cutting  per  acre 
are  harvested.  This  crop  is  worth  from  $10  to  $15  per  ton,  ac- 
cording to  the  date  of  sale,  and  therefore  is  a  good  paying  crop. 
If  fed  to  stock  and  sold  in  the  shape  of  fatted  beef  $100  per 
acre,  net,  can  easily  be  realized. 

The  Rio  Puerco  Valley. 

The  Eio  Puerco  is  a  large  tributary  of  the  Rio  Grande.  It 
traverses  the  county  from  north  to  south,  on  its  course  receives 
numerous  tributaries,  and  embraces  a  body  of  rich  irrigable 
land  sufficient  in  Tirea  to  support  a  population  much  greater 
than  the  number  now  resident  in  the  entire  county.  A  tract 
in  this  valley  embracing  50,000  acres  of  agricultural  land  was 
recently  purchased  by  an  eastern  syndicate,  and  the  land  is  to 
be  divided  into  small  tracts  and  parceled  out  as  homes  to 
several  colonies  of  settlers  from  the  eastern  states  and  from 
Europe.  The  plans  of  this  company  have  been  partially  ex- 
ecuted ;  and  engineers  are  now  outlining  a  system  of  new 
ditches  which  will  carry  water  to  every  part  of  the  tract.  The 
soil  and  climate  of  this  valley  are  essentially  the  same  as  the 
soil  and  climate  of  the  Rio  Grande. 

Coal. 

Great  coal  beds  of  excellent  bituminous  quality  are  found  in 
the  Puerco  valley.  It  is  so  easily  mined  and  handled  that  it  pays 
to  team  it  with  oxen  to  Albuquerque  and  sell  it  as  low  as  $4 
per  ton.  These  coal  measures  extend  throughout  the  entire 
area  of  the  valley,  and  in  the  northern  part  in  the  vicinity  of 
Nacimiento  and  Copper  City  the  veins  are  of  unusual  thickness. 
At  one  point  in  the  vicinity  named  a  vein  has  been  opened 
which  shows  twenty-five  feet  of  clear  coal  without  a  particle  of 
"bone"  or  slate,  and  with  a  solid  roof. 

From  the  Rio  Puerco  to  the  line  of  the  Territory  all  the  land 
in  Bernalillo  county  as  far  as  it  has  been  prospected  is  found 
to  be  underlaid  with  coal  in  veins  sufficiently  thick  to  pay  for 
mining.  This  however  is  lying  useless  for  want  of  capital  to 
provide  for  its  transportation  to  market. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  183 

The  Gallup  Mines. 

The  only  point  at  which  coal  mining  has  been  systematically 
pursued  is  Gallup,  a  point  on  the  Atlantic  &  Pacific,  160 
miles  east  of  Albuquerque,  and  the  second  town  in  importance 
in  the  county.  Here  is  mined  all  the  coal  used  by  the  Altantic 
and  Pacific  Kailway  between  Albuquerque  and  San  Francisco, 
together  with  large  quantities  of  domestic  fuel  shipped  to  Al- 
buquerque and  various  points  in  southern  California.  The 
regular  output  of  these  mines  is  now  about  1,000  tons  per  day. 
During  the  year  181)2  the  actual  shipments  amounted  to  247,- 
000  tons.  During  the  first  eight  months  of  1893  254,410  tons 
were  mined.  Therefore  the  output  for  1893  will  be  somewhere 
in  the  neighborhood  of  380,000  tons.  The  product  may  be  in- 
creased almost  indefinitely  as  the  market  demands.  This  coal 
is  now  sold*  in  Albuquerque  at  $6  per  ton.  A  reduction  in  this 
price  will  however  be  compelled  by  reason  of  the  competition  of 
coal  that  will  be  brought  by  rail  from  the  Rio  Puerco  mines 
as  soon  as  rail  communication  with  that  section  will  be  had. 
At  present  an  abundance  of  wood  fuel  is  obtained  in  the  moun- 
tains and  is  delivered  to  consumers  at  $5  per  cord. 

Albuquerque- 

This  city  is  the  county  seat  of  Bernalillo  and  claims  to  be 
the  largest  city  in  New  Mexico.  At  present  it  is  asserted  that 
the  population  is  10/000  persons.  It  formerly  consisted  of  two 
towns,  known  as  "old"  and  "new1'  Albuquerque;  but  the  growth 
of  the  last  two  years  has  drawn  the  limits  of  the  two  steadily 
nearer  to  each  other  till  they  have  grown  together  and  con- 
stitute one  city,  though  each  still  maintains  its  individuality 
and  its  characteristic  features.  The  old  town  preserves  its 
quaint  and  curious  Mexican  air,  with  its  low  and  flat  roofed 
adobe  houses,  its  narrow  and  crooked  streets,  and  the  quiet  and 
leisurely  manner  of  its  people ;  while  the  new  town  is  marked 
by  all  the  rush  and  bustle  of  the  most  progressive  and  busy 
American  city.  It  has  broad  and  imposing  streets,  good  side- 
walks, street  cars,  water  works,  electric  lights,  gas  works, 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  185 

churches,  daily  newspapers,  splendidly  built  and  equipped 
public  schools,  and  lodges  of  all  the  leading  secret  societies, 
while  its  buildings  are  all  of  modern  style,  and  many  of 
them  making  no  small  pretentions  to  architectural  beauty. 
Many  of  the  business  houses  are  large  and  substantial  struc- 
tures of  stone  and  brick  in  combination  with  iron  and  glass, 
which  would  do  no  discredit  in  size  or  style  to  any  town  in  the 
United  States.  The  volume  of  trade  would  be  a  revelation  to 
the  merchant  doing  business  in  a  town  of  10,000  people 
in  the  East.  This  will  be  understood  when  it  is  stated  that 
Albuquerque  is  the  trade  center  and  distribution  point  of  194,- 
000  square  miles  of  territory.  -The  new  England  States  com- 
bined have  an  area  of  68,000  square  miles.  Parts  of  this  great 
area  will  never  support  a  dense  population ;  but  there  are  vast  areas 
again  where  ten  acres  of  land  are  enough  for  a  family  of  five 
persons,  or  320  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile  of  farming  land. 
The  growth  of  Albuquerque  has  afforded  a  very  reliable  gauge 
of  the  territorial  growth.  Beginning  with  the  advent  of  the 
railroads,  which  may  properly  be  accepted  as  the  beginning  of 
American  immigration  into  this  section,  the  growth  of  the  town 
has  been  steady  and  reliable.  The  progress  of  each  year  shows 
a  steady  increase  in  the  character  as  well  as  the  number  of  im- 
provements. 

Inducements  to  Settlers. 

The  resources  of  Bernalillo  county  are  numerous.  As  a  place 
for  the  investment  of  capital  this  county  has  two  undeveloped 
resources  that  will  certainly  return  good  interest  on  the  prin- 
cipal. These  are  irrigation  works  and  mining.  Improved 
property  near  Albuquerque  brings  an  annual  return  of  10  per 
cent  over  taxes  and  improvements. 

Manufactures. 

A  dozen  different  lines  here  afford  opportunities  for  the  prof- 
itable investment  of  capital  in  the  mechanic  arts.  Albuquer- 
que is  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  Santa  F6  and  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  railways.  On  the  west  then  will  be  New  Mexico  and 


24 


186  NEW  MEXICO. 


Arizona;  to  the  south  Old  Mexico  will  take  almost  everything 
that  can  be  manufactured;  southeast  is  the  great  and  grow- 
ing Pecos  country.  Albuquerque  sits  at  the  junction  of  this 
commerce.  Wool,  iron,  coal,  hides,  fruit,  are  handled  here  in 
large  quantities.  Take  wool  alone,  the  territorial  clip  is  over 
12,000,000  pounds.  Arizona  produces  nearly  as  much  more, 
and  western  Texas  is  also  a  large  wool  grower.  A  large  pro- 
portion of  this  wool  is  purchased  here. 

Albuquerque  is  peculiarly  situated  for  advantageous  smelting 
and  refining.  Gold,  silver  and  copper  ores  should  be  reduced 
to  the  fine  metal  at  this  point.  Iron  should  be  manufactured 
into  finished  implements.  The"  various  other  industrial  metals 
could  be  and  should  be  worked  up  and  disposed  of  from  this 
point.  In  a  word,  Albuquerque's  railroad  connection,  her  alti- 
tude and  the  contiguous  coal  supplies  should  make  her  a  con- 
siderable manufacturing  point. 

leather. 

Hides  constitute  one  of  the  chief  exports  of.  the  Territory. 
Growing  wild  on  the  mesas  and  plains  of  New  Mexico  are  thou- 
sands upon  thousands  of  tons  of  cana-agria,  a  plant  carrying 
33|  per  cent  of  tannic  acid.  It  is  three  times  as  good  as  oak 
bark  for  preparing  leather.  At  present  it  is  being  shipped  to 
Europe  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $100  per  ton.  A  tannery  located  at 
Albuquerque  could  handle  all  the  hides  of  central  New  Mexico. 
Freight  would  be  saved  on  the  raw  hide,  on  the  cana-agria,  and 
again  on  the  leather  or  its  products.  Let  it  be  considered  that  at 
present  all  these  products,  coming  and  going,  pay  freight  011 
about  5,000  miles  of  railroad  transportation.  All  this  the  manu- 
facturer can  practically  save  for  himself,  his  workmen  and  the 
consumer,  and  pocket  a  good  percentage  because  of  his  thrift 
and  foresight.  Another  point  is  that  all  the  "unskilled"  labor 
required  about  a  tannery  or  any  other  manufacturing  establish- 
ment can  be  had  here  cheaper  than  in  the  States.  Therefore  no 
reason  exists,  except  ignorance  on  the  part  of  capital,  why  all 
this  unnecessary  freight  and  labor  should  be  expended  on  sup- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


187 


plying  the  world  with  the  finished  products  of  New  Mexico  re- 
sources. 

At  present  wool  is  shipped  "in  the  grease, "leather  in  the  raw 
hide,  metal  in  the  ore;  in  fact  all  New  Mexico's  resources  pay 


3      ,      i 


Street  in  Old  Albuquerque. 


excessive  freight  to  the  East,  and  then  pay  another  heavy  toll 
when  they  return  in  the  shape  of  a  manufactured  article. 

Bernalillo. 

About  eighteen  miles  north  of  Albuquerque,  on  the  Santa 
Fe  Route,  is  situated  the  pretty  town  of  Bernalillo.  It  contains 
about  1,000  people,  and  in  the  adjacent  farming  country  there 
are  probably  2,000  more  people.  This  is  one  of  the  gardens  of 
the  world,  one  of  those  spots  where  a  man  can  pitch  his  tent 
and  say,  "Here  I  rest."  The  blooming  fields  and  orchards,  the 
climate,  the  Rio  Grande,  the  convenience  of  the  town,  combine 
to  make  it  an  important  point.  Wine  making,  wheat  raising  and 


188  NEW  MEXICO. 


fruit  culture  are  the  representative  industries ;  but  outside  the 
cultivable  valley  there  is  a  wide  stretch  of  country  fit  for  pasture 
upon  which  the  farmers  keep  considerable  herds  and  flocks. 
This  is  one  of  the  richest  places  in  the  Territory. 

Agriculture. 

In  agriculture  this  county  is  one  of  the  foremost  in  New  Mex- 
ico. With  irrigation  the  thrifty,  attentive  farmer  becomes  his 
own  providence  and  is  relieved  from  the  dangers  of  loss  by 
drought  or  flood.  He  is  no  longer  a  hap-hazard  creature  of 
chance  but  has  the  same  surety  of  return  for  his  labor  as  the 
manufacturer.  In  this  way  the  stability  and  prosperity  of  both 
are  enhanced  as  they  are  mutual  customers.  In  an  irrigated 
country  the  population  is  denser  over  the  cultivated  area.  This 
is  another  advantage.  What  has  been  said  concerning  special 
crops  will  give  the  farmer  a  general  idea  of  the  farming  re- 
sources of  this  county ;  and  it  will  suffice  to  say  here  that  every 
grain,  vegetable  and  fruit  of  the  temperate  zone  flourishes  in 
the  deep  loamy  soil,  and  the  most  tender  varieties  will  not  be 
menaced  by  the  action  of  the  climate. 

Climate. 

The  great  extent  of  Bernalillo  county  affords  a  diversified 
climate.  In  the  Rio  Grande  and  Puerco  valleys  the  weather  is 
very  mild;  the  summers  are  long,  with  genially  warm  days  and 
cool  nights,  and  the  winters  never  approach  that  severity  com- 
mon in  the  humid  region.  The  air  is  dry,  the  elevation  about 
5,000  feet,  and  the  latitude  sufficiently  south  to  make  a  very 
favorable  combination.  The  average  rainfall  is  about  thirteen 
inches,  over  one-half  of  which  falls  during  the  summer  months. 

On  the  plateaux  and  mesas,  east  and  west,  the  general  alti- 
tude is  about  7,000  feet  and  the  general  temperature  corres- 
pondingly lower.  Indeed,  taking  Albuquerque  as  a  center,  the 
health  seeker  can  choose  the  exact  temperature  for  comfort.  It 
may  be  warm  in  the  city,  but  within  half  a  day's  horseback  or 
foot  journey  it  will  be  braciugly  cool.  The  person  is  hard  to 
suit  who  finds  fault  with  such  conditions. 


I 


190  NEW  MEXICO. 


These  plateaux  and  plains  afford  the  very  best  grazing.  They 
are  covered  with  grama  grass,  and  large  areas  of  them  could 
be  irrigated  by  modern  high  line  ditches.  The  summers  in 
these  regions  are  shorter  and  cooler  than  in  the  valleys.  The 
rains  are  more  frequent,  and  the  aggregate  snowfall  of  the 
winter  averages  about  as  in  southern  Illinois  or  northern  Ken- 
tucky. These  lands  however  are  very  fertile  and  suited  to  the 
cultivation  of  the  potato,  apple,  and  cereal  crops. 

Climate,  as  before  stated,  is  only  a  matter  of  choice.  The  im- 
migrant can  choose  the  warm  valleys  or  the  cool  plateaux. 
Another  thing  is,  that  a  cyclone  or  a  blizzard  is  unknown.  The 
climate  if?  a  paradise  for  invalids.  Everything  said  concerning 
climate  in  the  general  article  on  New  Mexico  is  applicable  to 
this  county. 


VALENCIA  COUNTY. 


The  county  of  Valencia  is  one  of  the  oldest  as  well  as  the 
largest  counties  in  the  Territory.  It  has  a  population  of  13,- 
876  persons,  is  236  miles  from  east  to  west  and  sixty-two  miles 

from  north  to  south.  The  total 
area  is  5,621,760  acres,  and  of  this 
3,000,000  acres  are  fit  for  pastur- 
age in  their  natural  state,  and  about 
800,000  acres  are  possibly  irrigable 
from  all  sources.  At  present  there 
are  about  19,000  acres  cultivated 
in  this  county,  a  small  proportion 
of  which  is  tilled  without  irriga- 
tion. The  cultivated  land  is  divid- 
ed about  as  follows:  In  the  valley 
of  the  Kio  Grande  10,000  acres, 
all'  irrigated;  in  the  eight  pre- 
cincts west  of  that  country  6,000  acres;  and  in  the  northern  pact 
of  the  county  3,000  acres. 

Crops. 

The  principal  crops  are  wheat,  barley,  corn,  beans,  cjiile  or 
peppers,  alfalfa  and  fruits.  Peaches  and  grapes  are  the  best 
fruits  in  the  lower  valleys  and  apples  on  the  uplands.  The 
greatest  spread  of  fruit  is  in  the  neighborhoods  of  Belen  and 
Los  Lunas.  These  crops  all  yield  phenomenally,  and  in  some 
parts  of  the  county  it  is  claimed  that  the  largest  harvests  known 
in  the  world  are  obtained. 

1  Largest  Crops  Known. 

The  following  statistics  are  from  the  notes  and  observations 


192  NEW  MEXICO. 


of   the  Bureau  of   Immigration ;  the  vouchers  for  any  of  these 
facts  are  of  a  character  that  passes  all  criticism. 

At  Cebolleta,  on  the  south  side  of  the  San  Mateo  mountains, 
one  almud  of  corn,  about  1-5  of  a  bushel,  yields  a  harvest  of 
100  fanegas,  —a  fanega  is  24-  bushels — a  return  of  250  bushels 
of  corn  from  a  sowing  of  1-5  of  a  bushel  of  grain. 

Wheat  yields  proportionately.  On  one  ranch,  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  San  Mateo,  from  one  fanega,  or  2A  bushels,  of  seed 
wheat  80  fanegas,  or  200  bushels,  have  been  harvested.  As 
sown  here,  this  would  be  at  the  rate  of  about  50  bushels  per 
acre.  '  All  other  crops  give  proportionate  returns.  Harvests, 
even  less  than  the  average  of  the  neighborhood,  are  from  10  to 
20  per  cent  better  than  the  rest  of  the  world.  The  oats  that 
took  the  second  World's  Fair  prize  for  quality  were  raised  near 
Belen,  in  this  county,  and  the  same  town  took  the  first  prize  for 
wheat. 

Potatoes. 

The  whol'e  of  Valencia  county  seems  to  be  the  natural  home 
of  the  tuber.  White  or  Irish  potatoes  grow  wild  in  great  abun- 
dance. They  vary  from  11  to  3  inches  in  size.  As  found  they 
are  of  a  somewhat  irregular  appearance,  with  a  pink  skin  and  a 
white,  crispy  heart.  The  children,  even  of  well-to-do  people, 
eat  them  raw  and  say  that  the  flavor  is  extremely  good,  having 
a  peculiar  sweet  taste.  They  grow  in  a  rich  sandy  loam  of  un- 
known depth.  An  actual  occurrence  will  illustrate  the  char- 
acter of  this  soil.  At  Cerro  Colorado,  a  stage  station,  on  the 
Puerco  river,  a  well  was  sunk.  At  a  depth  of  43  feet  from 
the  surface  ruins  of  houses,  with  ashes  in  the  fire  places  and 
ordinary  house  litter,  were  found.  Pieces  of  coal  were  also 
discovered,  indicating  that  these  aborigines  used  this  fuel. 

There  is  no  doubt  that,  if  these  wild  potatoes  were  properly 
cultivated  and  developed  according  to  modern  methods,  a  new 
and  valuable  variety  might  be  propagated.  They  have  all  the 
good  qualities  of  the  cultivated  tubers  except  size,  are  indige- 
nous to  the  soil  and  climate,  and  would  need  very  little  water. 
That  it  would  pay  to  give  them  attention  is  a  foregone  conclu- 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


\ 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  ll>:-> 

sion ;  and  it  is  also  as  true  that  the  modern  cultivated  potato 
would  pay  handsome  profits.  At  Greeley,  Colo.,  it  is  not  un- 
frequent  for  potato  raisers  to  make  $100  per  acre  gross;  and 
$50  per  acre  is  an  ordinary  net  profit. 

Fruits. 

All  of  the  Rio  Grande  and  Puerco  valleys  is  especially 
adapted  to  fruits.  In  these  two  valleys  there  are  fully  100,000 
acres  of  bottom  lands,  easily  irrigable  and  splendidly  fitted  to 
these  crops.  vThe  general  elevation  above  sea  level  is  about 
5,000  feet.  Peaches  and  grapes  are  the  staple  crops,  and  there 
are  now  single  farms  that  yield  tens  of  thousands  of  pounds  of 
the  Mission  grape.  At  present  the  majority  of  this  product  is 
utilized  to  make  wine  and  brandy.  Among  connoisseurs,  the 
wine  and  brandy  of  Valencia  county  have  already  a  high  repu- 
tation. Only  the  very  finest  fruit  is  used  to  distill  brandy,  and 
the  wine  is  made  of  pure  juice  and  without  artificial  sweetening. 
To  satisfy  those  who  prefer  a  very  sweet  wine,  the  vintners  take 
the  residue  of  the  grapes  after  the  wine  is  made,  press  it  and 
boil  the  juice  down  to  a  thick  sirup.  This  is  added  to  the  wine 
as  a  sweetener.  The  Mission  grape  is  almost  as  sugary  as  a 
raisin,  and  its  wine  really  needs  no  added  sugar.  Most  people 
prefer  it  a  little  dried  out.  The  vintners  of  this  section  keep 
their  wine  casked  and  bottled  for  five  years  before  selling  it. 
There  are  splendid  opportunities  in  this  section  for  the  invest- 
ment of  capital  in  wine  and  brandy  making.  The  reputation  of 
the  region  is  already  established  and  a  good  business  could  be 
done  from  the  very  start. 

I/umber. 

There  are  about  400,000  acres  of  excellent  timber  in  this 
county.  Great  stretches  of  pine  forest  are  found  in  the  west- 
ern part,  especially  in  the  Zuni  mountains,  on  the  Zuni  plateau 
and  east  of  the  Zuni  reservation.  The  timbered  area  stretches 
from  northwest  to  southeast;  and  although  these  forests  have 
furnished  all  the  ties  used  on  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  road, 
they  may  be  still  described  as  virgin.  This  is  all  timber  of 


104  NEW  MEXICO. 


sufficient  size  for  lumber.  On  the  uplands  and  mesas  cedar  and 
pinon  grow  in  sufficient  abundance  to  furnish  fuel  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  All  the  higher  mountain  regions  are  covered  with 
dense  forests  of  pine,  spruce  and  fir,  intermingled  in  favorable 
locations  with  oak  and  aspen.  At  no  point  are  the  edges  of  the 
forest  belts  more  than  six  or  eight  miles  from  the  railroad.  The 
San  Mateo  mountain  forests  are  virgin.  In  fact  the  whole  of 
the  western  half  of  the  county  is  covered  with  heavy  timber. 

Live  Stock. 

The  principal  business  of  Valencia  county  is  cattle,  sheep  and 
horse  raising.  Not  counting  the  Indian  stock,  which  is  quite 
numerous,  there  are  400,000  sheep,  100, 000  cattle  and  over  5,000 
horses  and  mares  in  the  county.  These  find  nutritious  and  abun- 
dant pasture  on  the  wide  mesas  and  plateaux.  The  Manzano  valley 
especially  will  always  remain  a  favored  cattle  country.  Springs 
abound,  and  while  there  are  no  rivers  or  streams  of  sufficient 
importance  to  make  a  considerable  area  of  this  land  valuable 
for  irrigation,  still  by  a  judicious  development  of  the  ground  or 
phreatic  waters  this  whole  valley,  of  more  than  1,000,000  acres, 
can  be  made  to  yield  a  good  revenue  as  a  cattle  country.  Water 
can  be  developed  almost  anywhere.  The  western  part  of  the 
county  is  no  less  valuable  in  this  respect.  The  canon  streams 
and  the  springs  on  the  mesas  furnish  an  ample  supply  of  water. 
In  this  region  farm  irrigation  and  stock  raising  can  be  pursued 
together.  The  stock  may  be  allowed  to  range  at  will  during 
the  spring,  summer  and  fall  seasons  011  the  best  grass,  then 
brought  in  and  fed  alfalfa  for  a  short  time  before  shipping,  so 
that  the  animals  may  be  sent  to  market  in  the  primest  condi- 
tion. Upon  a  systematized  ranch  this  is  easily  possible  in 
Valencia  county,  and  the  beef  raiser  will  find  his  profits  not 
only  materially  increased  but  assured  from  one  year  to  the 
other. 

Minerals. 

A  few  miles  west  of  the  Rio  Grande  the  coal  measures  begin, 
and  extend  almost  in  a  continuous  body  to  the  western  bound- 


BY    THE    BUBEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION.  195 

ary,  including  an  area  100  miles  long  by  50  miles  wide.  Coal 
crops  out  on  all  the  higher  mesas.  These  measures  are  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  San  Juan  and  Bernalillo  county  beds.  These 
fields  have  been  very  little  prospected,  but  when  development 
begins  there  is  little  doubt  that  more  than  1,000,000  acres  of 
choice  coal  lands  will  be  added  to  the  New  Mexican  coal  beds. 

Salt. 

Salt  is  found  in  the  Manzano  valley  and  in  the  Zuni  moun- 
tains. In  the  first  location  the  mines  are  equal  to  the  Mich- 
igan or  Danish  deposits.  The  lakes  of  brine  in  this  valley  are 
well  known.  If  properly  worked  the  salt  deposits  of  the  Man- 
zaiio  valley  would  add  greatly  to  the  commerce  of  the  south- 
west. 

Precious  Metals. 

Gold  and  copper  mines  are  being  worked  to  some  extent  in 
the  Zuni  mountains.  In  the  Manzano  range  gold  is  found  and 
some  mines  are  open.  At  Abo  Pass  in  the  Manzano  silver  and 
copper  are  found.  Hell's  canon,  in  the  same  range,  has  some 
excellent  gold  properties.  These  mines  were  discovered  about 
two  years  ago  and  if  some  capital  were  invested  here  it  would 
pay  handsomely. 

Gypsum. 

Gypsum  is  found  near  El  Kito  adjoining  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  railroad.  This  deposit  is  very  pure,  lies  in  regular 
strata,  and  is  exposed  in  a  bluff  of  between  80  and  100  feet 
high.  This  is  extremely  valuable  as  a  fertilizer. 

Building  Stone. 

In  the  western  part  of  the  county,  along  the  line  of  the  At- 
lantic &  Pacific,  are  extensive  deposits  of  building  stone,  with 
sandstone  and  granite.  These  have  been  tried  and  used  in  the 
construction  of  several  of  the  largest  buildings  in  the  principal 
towns  of  the  Territory  and  are  found  to  be  handsome,  durable 
and  just  fitted  for  the  purpose.  With  the  growth  of  the  larger 
towns  in  the  Territory  and  the  erection  of  large  business  blocks 


196 


NEW  MEXICO. 


and  municipal  buildings  these  deposits  will  prove  valuable  for 
the  county  and  for  the  railroad  named. 

Colonization   Prospects. 

Up  to  date  the  magnificent  opportunities  for  the  location  of 
colonies  on  a  prosperous  basis  have  been  neglected.  At  La 
Cebolla  the  Mormons  have  planted  a  small  settlement  of  100 
persons.  They  have  dammed  up  a  small  canon  so  as  to  store 
water  for  about  500  acres," of  which  they  have  now  200  acres 
under  cultivation.  So  productive  is  the  soil  that  this  small 
area — only  two  acres  per  capita — supports  them  in  more  than 


An  Indian  Pueblo. 


ordinary  comfort.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  this, 
like  all  Mormon  farming,  is  conducted  on  a  highly  intensive 
system  of  cultivation.  The  Mormon  achievements  in  farming 
are  everywhere  lessons  of  successful  thrift.  Alfalfa,  sorghum, 
grain  and  fruits  are  their  staple  crops. 

A   Big  Scheme. 

Opposite  Los  Lunas  is  a  tract  of  good  laud.  The  valley 
runs  back  to  the  mountains  eighteen  miles  on  a  gradual 
slope.  This  embayment  is  about  ten  miles  across.  Into 
this  area  numerous  canon  streams  from  the  Manzano  moun- 
tains empty,  while  on  the  west  sweeps  the  Bio  Grande.  A  cor- 
poration could  reclaim  nearly  the  whole  of  this  area.  As  yet 
all  this  is  open  land.  Another  scheme  would  be  for  a  colony 
of  300  or  350  families  to  locate  here,  taking  up  under  the  land 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  197 

laws  a  sufficient  tract  to  satisfy  their  wants.  A  community  of 
thrifty  farmers  once  located  here  would  be  sure  of  success,  and, 
though  there  is  an  ample  supply  for  the  irrigation  of  the  whole, 
they  would  have1  a  prior  right  to  water  in  any  abnormally  dry 
season.  This  is  one  of  the  best  opportunities  in  New  Mexico. 

San  Mateo. 

In  the  San  Mateo  country  25,000  acres  may  be  cultivated. 
The  following  permanent  streams  empty  into  this  valley:  The 
Eito  Colorado,  San  Mateo,  San  Lucas  and  El  Dao.  Around 
San  Mateo  there  are  nearly  1,000,000  acres  of  arable  land, 
and  the  estimate  of  25,000  acres  as  possibly  reclaimable 
is  very  conservative.  On  the  northern  slopes  of  the  San  Mateo 
mountains  fruit,  except  apples,  cannot  be  successfully  cultivated, 
but  as  a  grain  and  root  country  it  is  unsurpassed. 

m  Rito. 

The  El  Eito  or  Cebolleta  valley  contains  about  500,000  acres 
of  land,  a  considerable  percentage  of  which  is  reclaimable.  In 
this  valley  the  big  harvests  before  mentioned  are  the  general 
average. 

Evidence  of  an  Ancient  Civilization. 

Every  township  in  the  western  half  of  the  county  contains 
ruins  of  ancient  villages  and  pueblos,  all  of  them  of  considerable 
extent.  It  is  impossible  to  travel  six  miles  in  any  direction 
without  running  upon  some  of  these  ruins ;  near  San  Mateo  a 
buried  village,  200  acres  in  extent,  was  lately  discovered.  That 
a  dense  population  once  inhabited  this  vast  section  is  true. 
They  were  not  of  the  same  race  as  the  nomadic  Indians,  but  a 
people  who  were  seated  on  the  soil.  The  only  tradition  of  them 
among  the  Pueblos  is:  "They  were  children  of  Monteztima. 
When  he  and  his  successors  were  hard  pressed  by  the  Spaniards, 
they  were  called  south  to  the  succor  of  the  City  of  Mexico. 
They  responded  unanimously,  and  none  of  them  ever  returned." 
Their  homes  alone  tell  of  their  once  flourishing  existence.  There 
is  no  geological  trace  of  any  greater  supply  of  water  than  is 


198 


NEW  MEXICO. 


now  known,  and  to  have  raised  crops  sufficient  for  their  sup- 
port resort  must  have  been  had  to  underflow  supplies,  as  in 
India. 

Towns. 

The  principal  towns  are  Belen  and  Los  Lunas.  The  latter  is 
the  county  seat.  Both  are  located  on  the  main  line  of  the 
Santa  Fe  route,  and  have  a  considerable  trade  with  the  sur- 
rounding country.  The  big  cattle  and  sheep  ranches  outfit 
from  these  points.  Along  the  line  of  the  Atlantic  &  Pacific 
railway  there  are  several  villages  and  towns  of  importance,  the 
chief  of  which  is  El  Kito. 

The  Kio  Grande  valley,  in  the  neighborhoods  of  Los  Luirns 
and  Belen,  is  one  of  the  best  fruit  and  grain  countries  in  the 
world.  Any  section  that  raises  the  best  wheat  in  the  wide 
world  is  necessarily  fertile.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that 


Street  in  Los  Lunas. 


these  lands  are  richer  than  the  valley  of  the  Nile.  The  condi- 
tions, so  far  as  hardy  crops  are  concerned,  are  identical.  Of 
course  tropical  fruits  cannot  be  raised,  but  the  crops  to  which 
the  English  speaking  peoples  are  accustomed  grow  in  greater 
luxuriance  than  in  any  other  region. 

Fort  Win  gate. 

The  military  post  of  Ft.  Wingate  as  situated  is  three  miles 
south  of  Wingate  station  on  the  Atlantic  &  Pacific  railroad. 
It  is  garrisoned  by  a  headquarters,  band,  seven  troops  of  cav- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  199 


airy  and  one  company  of  infantry.  The  fort  is  located  south 
of  the  Navajo  reservation  and  was  so  located  for  the  purpose  of 
watching  the  Navajo  Indians  and  affording  assistance  to  their 
agent  should  it  become  necessary.  From  the  indications  Ft. 
Wingate  is  one  of  the  permanent  posts  in  the  United  States 
and  will  be  a  military  garrison  for  many  years  to  come.  It 
answers  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  built  admirably  and  has 
been  found  to  be  a  great  benefit  both  to  the  military  branch  of 
the  government  and  the  surrounding  country. 

Conclusion. 

Probably  no  equal  area  of  the  world  possesses  such  manifold 
resources  and  is  so  little  known.  This  county  may  be  made  the 
seat  of  a  population  equally  dense  and  far  more  comfortably  sur- 
rounded than  in  many  sections  of  Europe.  Important  mineral 
ores,  wide  stretching  coal  measures,  fertile  irrigable  valleys  are 
known.  Fortune  awaits  the  men  who  will  develop  them.  This 
Bureau  will  take  pleasure  in  giving  further  information  to 
colonies  or  individuals  concerning  these  vast  latent  resources. 


SOCORRO  COUNTY. 


Socorro  county  is  the  largest  municipality  in  New  Mexico.  It 
extends  from  about  the  center  of  the  Territory  to  the  Arizona 
line,  having  a  width  of  164  miles  east  and  west,  and  its  greatest 
length  is  ninety-four  miles.  Its  area  is  about  13,968  square 
miles,  or  8,939,520  acres,  of  which  about  2,700,000  acres  are 
mountainous  and  the  balance  fit  for  agriculture  or  pasture.  In 
order  that  the  reader  may  realize  the  truth  of  this  bald  state- 
ment, it  may  be  said  that  this  great  county  is  about  thirteen 
times  the  size  of  either  Rhode  Island  or  Delaware;  it  is  three 
times  larger  than  Connecticut,  nearly  half  as  big  as  the  great 
state  of  Maine,  while  Maryland,  Vermont,  New  Hampshire, 
Massachusetts  and  New  Jersey  are  only  babies  in  comparison, 
it  being  once  and  a  quarter  greater  than  any  of  them.  Such  is 
the  empire  to  which  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  invites  atten- 
tion, with  the  purpose  of  portraying  briefly  a  few  of  its  many 
advantages  and  resources. 

Physical  Features. 

The  Bio  Grande  crosses  this  county  almost  on  the  line,  of  the 
principal  meridian  of  New  Mexico.  The  valley  is  bounded  on 
the  west  by  the  Socorro,  Magdalena  and  San  Mateo  mountains, 
whose  average  elevation  is  about  9,000  feet,  with  a  peak  culmi- 
nation of  over  10,000  feet.  On  the  west  the  Sierra  Oscura, 
part  of  the  frontal  range  of  the  Rockies,  walls  in  the  valley. 
The  tirst  named  ranges  are  very  precipitous  on  their  eastward 
faces,  and  their  rocks  are  granitic  or  eruptive  in  character. 
The  eastern  mountains  are  of  sedimentary  formation  and  con- 
sequently very  absorptive  of  moisture.  This  is  evidenced  by  the 
number  of  springs  that  break  out  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  val- 
ley. Whether  or  not  artesian  water  may  be  obtained  within 


w 

I 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  201 


this  wide  valley  is  a  mooted  question ;  but  it  is  certain  that  with 
very  small  expense  ground  water  may  be  developed  in  wells  and 
springs  far  in  excess  of  the  needs  of  pasturage.  Besides  this, 
outside  of  the  area  irrigable  from  the  waters  of  the  Bio  Grande, 
small  farms  may  be  created  by  the  development  of  the  earth  or 
phreatic  waters,  whose  produce  of  grain,  grass,  roots  and  fruit 
will  be  more  than  sufficient  for  the  support  of  the  men  engaged 
in  stock  raising. 

The  bottom  lands  of  this  great  valley  are  from  4,000  to  nearly 
5,000  feet  above  sea  level,  and  the  trough  of  the  Bio  Grande  in 
this  county  is  very  wide.  Thence  west  and  across  the  Magdalena 
range  stretch  the  San  Agustin  plains,  into  which  the  Black 
Bange,  Datil,  Mogollon  and  Pinon  mountains  intrude  their 
rugged  fronts.  Beyond  which  again,  and  flanking  the  great 
Cooney  district,  rise  the  snowy  San  Francisco  mountains.  Be- 
tween the  Black  Bange  and  the  Mogollons  is  a  great  timber  belt 
whose  forests  continue  to  the  summits  of  the  bounding  moun- 
tains ;  and  within  this  area  runs  the  continental  divide.  These, 
roughly,  are  the  great  physical  features  of  this  interesting  re- 
gion. The  minutia  and  details  of  its  formation  are  too  numer- 
ous to  be  even  glanced  at  in  this  paper.  The  most  varied  geolog- 
ical conditions  present  themselves.  Wide  alluvial  plains  rise 
into  mountains  whose  breasts  swell  with  the  precious  metals, 
and  all  formations  from  the  Archaean  rocks  to  the  coal  beds  of 
the  Tertiary  period  are  exposed. 

Population. 

The  population  of  this  county  according  to  the  last  census  is 
9,595  persons.      Practically,  however,  this  only  includes  the  in- 
habitants of  the  valley  of   the  Bio  Grande,  as  little  or  no  ac- 
count was  taken  of   the  outlying  ranchers  and  stockmen.     The 
people  generally  are  progressive  and  thrifty  and  of  good  moral 
habits.      The  population  of   this  county  will  in  all    probability 
figure  up  more  than  12,000  at  this  writing. 
The  School  of  Mines, 
a   territorial   institution,  created  by  act  of  the  Legislature  of 


202  NEW  MEXICO. 


1889,  is  located  at  Socorro,  the  county  seat.  It  is  sup- 
ported by  a  tax  of  1-5  of  a  mill  on  all  the  taxable  property  of 
the .  Territory,  and  is  organized  as  a  high  grade  school  of 
technology,  geology,  mining  and  engineering — in  fact  to  fit  its 
graduates  as  first-class  mining  engineers  and  experts.  Tuition 
in  this  institution  is  absolutely  free.  Its  president,  Prof.  Floyd 
Davis,  says:  "It  will  in  no  sense  be  allowed  to  degenerate  into 
a  shop  in  which  to  teach  the  mere  art  of  assaying.  The  re- 
quirements that  will  be  demanded  of  the  teachers  are  that  they 
be  practicable  men,  endowed  with  energy  and  with  a  high  grade 
of  intellectual  and  scientific  acquirements ;  not  so  conservative 
as  to  be  hampered  by  the  traditions  of  scholastic  educafion,  but 
rather  they  shall  be  imbued  with  the  exactions  of  modern  prog- 
ress and  with  ambition  that  will  only  be  contented  by  signal 
achievements  accomplished  through  their  efforts."  The  work 
of  the  able  Prof.  Davis  is  efficiently  seconded  by  Prof.  Theo- 
dore S.  Delay,  his  assistant.  A  school  organized  on  such  broad 
lines  and  with  such  comprehensive  opportunities  for  progress  is 
worthy  of  explicit  notice. 

Its  work  is  conducted  under  a  board  of  trustees,  of  which  the 
governor  of  the  Territory  and  the  superintendent  of  public  edu- 
cation are  ex-olficio  members.  Candidates  for  admission  must 
be  well  qualified  for  the  work  of  the  school  and  have  a  preliminary 
trainiog  in  the  collateral  branches  of  learning  such  as  to  enable 
them  to  avail  themselves  of  the  full  advantages  of  the  school. 

The  building  and  equipment  of  the  school  are  of  the  best.  The 
building  is  T  shaped,  135  feet'long  by  32  feet  deep,  with  a  central 
assay  wing  54  feet  long  by  32  feet  wide.  It  is  constructed 
of  gray  trachyte,  in  broken  ashlar,  trimmed  with  red  sandstone. 
The  basement  is  entirely  floored  with  cement  and  is  divided 
into  furnace,  store,  coal  and  wash  rooms,  an  assay  preparation 
department,  a  metallurgical  laboratory  and  water  closets.  On 
the  main  floor  are  the  president's  office,  library,  reception  room, 
private  laboratory,  qualitative  and  quantitative  laboratories,  bal- 
ance, evaporation  and  stock  rooms  and  the  laboratories  for  fire 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  203 

and  wet  assaying.  The  second  story  contains  a  lecture  room 
with  a  capacity  for  seventy  students,  and  a  preparation  room. 
The  third  story  is  occupied  by  a  museum,  a  well  lighted  micro- 
spectroscopic  room  and  storage  closets.  The  building  is 
plumbed  for  water  and  gas,  and  supplied  with  the  former  in  all 
parts  under  high  pressure.  The  complete  structure  cost  $42,- 
940.53,  and  when  the  entire  apparatus  necessary  for  its  work  is 
in  it  will  cost  at  least  $15,000  more.  Convenient  working  desks, 
twenty-two  crucible  and  two  large  Denver  muffle  furnaces,  a 
large  roasting  furnace,  scales,  balances  and  generators,  together 
with  an  ample  and  carefully  selected  supply  of  chemicals  and 
re-agents,  complete  the  present  equipment  of  the  school. 

Agriculture. 

The  farms  of  this  county  are  principally  found  in  the  Rio 
Grande  valley,  beginning  at  Sabinal,  about  thirty  miles  north 
of  Socorro,  and  then  stretching  down  to  the  beautiful  fields  of 
San  Marcial,  near  the  southern  boundary.  All  this  section  is 
easily  irrigated,  and  much  more  land  than  is  now  cultivated 
might  easily  be  reclaimed.  On  the  ninety  miles  of  the  course 
of  the  Rio  Grande  in  this  county  there  are  over  150,000  acres 
of  land  easy  to  reclaim  in  the  first  bottoms.  On  the  mesas  and 
bench  lands  there  are  100,000  acres  more.  This  is  all  of  inex- 
haustible fertility,  and  capable  of  supporting  at  the  very  low- 
est estimate  15,000  families  of  farmers  alone.  From  La  Joya, 
"the  jewel"  of  the  Eio  Grande,  to  the  Sierra  county  line  will 
one  day  flourish  magnificent  farms  and  orchards.  There  are 
now  probably  60,000  acres  under  ditch  in  this  tract,  and  there 
are  cultivated  somewhere  between  20,000  and  30,000.  While 
the  American  people  are  clamoring  for  almost  worthless  lands 
in  other  sections,  it  is  marvelous  that  the  great  advantages  of 
this  valley  are  overlooked.  Organized  effort  on  the  part  of 
colonies  of  from  twenty  to  .100  families  would  assure  them 
happy  homes  and  a  sure  competence  in  this  valley. 

The  land  in  Socorro  county  at  various  places  has  been  ex- 
amined by  experts,  analyzed  and  tested.  Generally  it  is  non- 


204  NEW  MEXICO. 


alkaline,  friable  and  loamy.  The  inild  climate  allows  the  cul- 
tivation of  a  wide  range  of  products  and  the  proximity  of  min- 
ing camps  insures  high  prices.  Sugar-beets,  cana-agria,  alfalfa 
and  small  fruits  will  be  the  staples  of  this  county.  They  grow 
in  great  profusion. 

In  the  western  part  of  the  county,  near  the  Arizona  line,  are 
found  the  ever-flowing  waters  of  the  Tularosa  and  San  Francisco, 
with  their  multitude  of  affluents.  Another  large  body  of  good 
land  with  ample  water  is  to  be  found  here.  The  probability  is 
that  the  Santa  F6  route  will  at  no  distant  day  fill  the  gap  be- 
tween its  Magdalena  branch  in  New  Mexico  and  its  Prescott  & 
Phoenix  extension  in  Arizona.  Then  will  be  opened  to  com- 
merce one  of  the  richest  mineral,  grazing  and  irrigable  regions 
in  the  world. 

The  agricultural  exports  from  Socorro  county  are  fruits, 
principally  peaches  and  grapes,  grain  and  alfalfa. 

Eeturning  to  the  Rio  Grande,  there  is  one  feature  of  its  agri- 
culture that  demands  attention.  The  level  stretches  of  its  low 
bottom  lands  are  peculiarly  susceptible  to  the  influences  of  sub- 
irrigation,  of  which  there  is  one  notable  example  in  the  orchard 
of  Mr.  A.  D.  Coon.  The  roots  of  the  trees  of  this  plantation 
are  so  near  the  level  of  the  underflow  of  the  Rio  Grande  that  it 
has  never  been  necessary  to  irrigate  them  even  in  the  dryest 
years.  This  fact  will  be  of  inestimable  advantage  when  irriga. 
tion  is  undertaken  on  a  large  scale  in  this  valley. 

Cattle. 

The  cattle  interests  of  Socorro  county  are  very  large.  The 
animals  do  not  seem  to  suffer  as  much  during  bad  seasons  as  in 
other  places.  The  mild,  open  winters  permit  them  to  use  up 
all  their  food  for  the  making  of  flesh  and  not  for  the  creation 
of  heat.  This  is  an  advantage  of  great  importance.  In  the 
north  cattle  are  subject  to  long  spells  of  great  cold,  blizzards, 
etc.  This  is  unknown  in  New  Mexico  and  especially  in  Socorro 
comity.  There  are  now  upwards  of  250,000  cattle,  and  immense 


fV 

OF  THE  A 

((•    UNIVERSITY   j 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  205 


herds  of  sheep  on  the  ranges.     It  is  almost  impossible  to  esti- 
mate them  accurately. 

Mining. 

There  are  known  to  be  fifty-two  mining  districts  in  this  coun- 
ty. Some  contain  several  camps  and  make  large  outputs;  in 
others  only  development  work  has  been  prosecuted.  The 
minerals  range  from  salt  to  gold,  and  include  carbonates, 
sulphates,  sulphides,  phosphates,  magnesia,  calcium,  alum,  fire- 
clays, coal,  aluminum  and  other  valuable  deposits.  The  prin- 
cipal districts  are  the  Socorro,  Magdalena,  Kelley,  Lad  rones, 
Water  Canon,  Mogollon,  Datil,  Cooney,  Limitar  and  Oscura 
mountains.  According  to  development  the  richest  are  the 
Kelley  and  Mogollon  districts.  In  the  latter  there  are  about 
400  men  working  on  all  the  claims.  Gold  and  silver  are  the 
mainstays,  while  lead  and  copper  are  the  principal  by-products. 

Kelley. 

The  great  camp  of  Kelley,  situated  four  miles  southeast  of 
Magdalena,  the  present  terminus  of  a  branch  of  the  Santa  Fe 
route,  is  embraced  in  the  Magdalena  mountains  and  sheltered 
from  the  winds  in  almost  every  direction.  It  is  7,500  feet 
above  sea  level  and  enjoys  a  most  genial  climate.  There  is  not 
a  day  in  the  rolling  year  when  work  must  shut  down  011  account 
of  inclement  weather.  The  principal  mines  are  the  Kelley, 
Graphic,  Imperial,  Mary  Lode,  Ambrosia,  Grand  Tower,  Ida 
Hill  and  Miriam.  There  are  about  100  miners  now  at  work  in 
this  camp,  but  the  number  is  far  below  the  full  complement. 

The  Kelley  or  Graphic  could  alone  supply  work  for  this  num- 
ber. At  present  the  Kelley  mine  is  under  lock  and  key  and 
visitors  are  not  allowed  in  it. 

The  writer  visited  the  Graphic  and  explored  all  its  resources. 
There  are  over  two  miles  of  tramway  in  this  mine  and  more 
than  four  miles  of  galleries.  Since  the  recent  sale  of  this  prop- 
erty to  an  eastern  syndicate  for  $150,000  the  principal  work 
of  the  present  company  has  been  in  the  way  of  development, 
although  a  good  output  of  ore  is  made  daily.  The  product  of 


206  NEW  MEXICO. 


this  mine  is  silver  and  lead  and  the  ore  is  graded  so  as  to  run 
30  per  cent  of  lead  and  from  three  to  four  ounces  of  silver. 
The  ore  varies  in  character.  Some  of  it  runs  in  sand  carbon- 
ates, some  in  galena,  and  more  again  in  iron.  The  work  on 
this  mine  since  last  June  shows  how  profitable  eastern  invest- 
ments in  New  Mexico  mines  may  bo  made  under  proper  man- 
agement. 

The  view  from  this  camp  is  beautiful.  It  is  embraced  in  a 
mountain  basin.  In  the  immediate  foreground  is  the  beautiful 
Magdalena  peak,  rearing  aloft  the  graven  face  of  the  penitent 
woman.  Beyond  appear  rolling  vistas  of  the  San  Agustin 
plains;  in  the  immediate  valley  lies  Magdalena,  surrounded  by 
a  beautiful  grazing  country.  From  the  summits  of  the  peaks 
the  country  on  all  sides  is  visible  for  over  100  miles.  This  local- 
ity offers  superior  advantages  as  a  sanitarium. 

Magdalena. 

This  town  is  a  general  outfitting  point  for  numerous  cattle 
companies,  dozens  of  mines,  and  besides  is  a  rich  mineral  dis- 
trict itself,  producing  carbonate  ores  easy  of  reduction,  while 
brick  and  fire  clay,  hematite  and  limestone  abound.  It  is 
situated  twenty- three  miles  northwest  of  Socorro,  on  a  branch 
railroad,  and  in  a  beautiful  valley  between  the  Socorro  and 
Magdalena  ranges.  It  drives  a  busy  trade  with  all  the  sur- 
rounding country.  Nine  miles  northwest  of  Magdalena  there 
are  a  number  of  rich  mining  claims  in  the  Gallinas  mountains, 
to  which  access  is  had  by  a  good  road  free  from  heavy  grades. 
Among  the  mines  there  are  the  Atahualpa  and  the  Midland. 
Considerable  work  has  been  done  in  these  mines,  and  in  both 
there  is  ore  in  sight  which  only  requires  to  be  taken  out  and 
shipped.  Returns  from  the  Rio  Grande  smelter,  at  Socorro,  on 
a  car  load  of  this  ore  shipped  for  treatment  are  as  follows: 
Lead,  per  cent  per  ton,  24.20;  silver,  ounces  per  ton,  24.60; 
gold,  ounces  per  ton,  5.35;  the  net  value  of  the  ore,  deducting 
freight  and  cost  of  treatment,  being  $133.84.  Assays  of  a  vein 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  207 

of  galena  uncovered  in  the  Midland  give  47.9  per  cent  lead  and 
11  ounces  of  silver  to  the  ton. 

Experts  who  have  examined  the  gold  ore  from  these  claims 
declare  it  to  be  free  milling  ore.  Stamp  mills  are  being  erected 
in  the  vicinity  and  it  is  thought  that  a  mill  test  of  these  ores 
will  give  good  results  and  enable  a  large  saving  to  be  made  in 
their  treatment. 

Socorro. 

The  county  seat,  Socorro,  enjoys  some  unrivaled  advantages. 
It  is  a  town  of  about  3,000  to  4,000  inhabitants,  and  is  situated 
on  the  principal  meridian  of  New  Mexico,  which  is  the  datum 
point  for  all  public  surveys.  The  town  contains  a  public  school 
costing  $25,000,  a  fine  court  house,  the  school  of  mines  pre- 
viously described,  numerous  business  houses,  a  brewery  and  ice 
plant,  a  good  flouring  mill  and  a  fire-clay  works.  The  Rio 
Grande  smelter,  at  present  working  over  200  men,  is  within  the 
town  limits.  These  works  in  good  times  employ  about  400 
operatives  and  are  amongst  the  most  important  smelters  in  the 
country.  Immediately  across  the  Eio  Grande  are  immense 
measures  of  coal  extending  from  fifteen  to  twenty  miles.  The 
city  is  almost  in  the  center  of  the  Territory,  conveniently 
situated  for  all  trade  purposes.  Its  climate  is  mild  and  equa- 
ble; its  altitude  is  about  4,300  feet;  it  is  exceedingly  well 
sheltered  from  winds.  Its  water  supply  is  excellent  and  plenti- 
ful, and  is  partly  obtained  from  large  springs  about  two  and 
one-half  miles  from  the  city.  The  town  is  in  the  center  of  a 
rich  mineral,  grazing  and  agricultural  district  and  has  a  magnifi- 
cent future  before  it. 

San  Martial 

is  one  of  the  prettiest  towns  on  the  Santa  F6  route.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  the  Armendaris  grant.  Preparations  are  now  being 
made  to  reclaim  82,000  acres  of  land  in  this  immediate  vicinity, 
and  also  to  develop  the  mineral  and  pastoral  resources  of 
this  valuable  grant.  San  Marcial  will  be  the  center  of  all  these 
operations,  which  are  now  proceeding  on  a  basis  of  an  invest- 


208 


NEW  MEXICO. 


ment  of  over  $4,000,000.  The  town  has  good  schools  and  hotels, 
a  very  good  newspaper,  The  Bee,  and  is  the  end  of  a  division 
of  the  Atchison.  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railroad,  and  round-houses 
and  repair  shops  are  located  here.  This  town  has  excellent 
trade  from  the  surrounding  country  and  the  rich  mining  dis- 
tricts of  the  Black  Range.  It  contains  about  1,000  inhabitants 
and  is  growing  constantly.  « 


LINCOLN  COUNTY. 


Lincoln  county,  situated  in  the  southeastern  section  of  the 
Territory,  is  part  of  the  drainage  area  of  the  Pecos  river.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Guadalupe  and  Valencia  counties, 
west  by  Socorro  and  Dona  Ana,  east  by  Chaves  and  Eddy 
counties,  and  on  the  south  by  the  State  of  Texas.  Until  1889, 
when  by  act  of  the  Legislature  Chaves  and  Eddy  were  separated 
from  it,  it  was  the  largest  county  in  the  Territory.  It  is  156 
miles  long  and  from  fifty  to  seventy  miles  wide,  with  a  total 
area  of  8,495  miles.  The  average  elevation  is  from  4,000  to 
5,000  feet  above  sea  level  and  its  mountains  rise  9,000  or  10,- 
000  feet  high.  The  Sierra  Blanca,  Capitan,  Nogal,  Jicarilla 
and  Sacramento  mountains  are  well  forested.  In  general  aspect 
this  county  consists  of  wide  grass  covered  plains,  and  on  the 
western  border  this  formation  is  broken  into  "mal  pais,"  or  bad 
lands,  by  reason  of  the  intrusion  of  a  wide  lava  flow. 

Mountains  and  Minerals. 

The  topography  of  the  western  portion  of  the  county  is  ex- 
tremely broken.  Eruptive  rocks  of  various  characters  extrude 
from  the  sedimentary  formations.  The  mineral  deposits  are 
numerous  and  extensive.  Beds  of  crystallized  gypsum  are  found. 
Large  measures  of  coal,  similar  to  that  found  on  the  Raton 
plateau,  are  known  and  worked  to  some  extent  for  fuel  for  local 
use.  Valuable  and  rich  mines  of  gold,  copper  and  lead  are  found  in 
all  the  mountainous  regions,  but  especially  around  White  Oaks, 
Nogal  and  the  Capitan  mountains.  In  the  well  watered  and 
timbered  Sacramento  mountains  argentiferous  copper  is  found. 
Gold  is  found  in  the  Carrizo,  Jicarilla,  Capitan  and  Sierra 
Blanca  mountains.  During  the  last  two  years,  within  a  radius 
of  twenty  miles  of  White  Oaks  mining  has  received  quite  an 


210  NEW  MEXICO. 


impetus.  In  the  fall  of  1892  a  rich  strike  was  made  in  the 
North  Homestake,  a  new  body  of  gold  ore  being  struck  at  the 
1,000  foot  level.  This  runs  very  high  in  gold  and  is  consider- 
ably richer  than  in  the  upper  workings.  Indeed  it  has  been 
the  general  experience  of  miners  in  this  section  that  the  deeper 
the  shafts  the  better  the  ore.  The  Old  Abe  mine  has  re- 
cently made  considerable  improvement  in  its  mill  by  reason 
of  finding  a  good  well  in  White  Oaks  canon.  A  daily  supply 
of  80,000  gallons  has  been  secured.  This  allows  ample  water 
for  its  twenty  stamp  mill  and  for  all  purposes  around  the  mine. 
This  water  is  piped  from  a  reservoir  a  distance  of  5,400  feet. 
The  Vera  Cruz  is  another  good  mine.  It  has  a  fifteen  stamp 
mill  and  is  working  steadily  on  fine  gold  ore.  The  shaft  of  the 
South  Homestake  was  burned  out  about  a  year  ago.  A  new 
one  was  at  once  put  in.  The  owners  did  not  expect  to  strike 
any  ore  until  they  reached  the  level  of  their  old  workings.  At 
the  200  foot  level,  however,  a  new  body  of  $10  ore  was  struck 
and  the  company  is  now  stoping  this  out.  The  hills  every- 
where in  this  section  seem  to  be  filled  with  metal.  The  Jica- 
rilla  mountains  are  also  showing  many  good  prospects  and 
some  good  mines. 

Water. 

The  central  parts  of  the  county  are  well  watered  by 
running  streams,  the  principal  of  which  is  the  Eio  Hondo, 
a  deep,  swift  stream  draining  the  Sierra  Blanca  and  Capitao 
mountains.  Besides  this  are  the  Feliz  or  Felix,  Kuidoso,  Bo- 
nito,  Eagle,  Upper  and  Lower  Penasco  and  Nogal  creeks.  In 
the  northern  portions  springs  break  out  on  the  wide  plateaux 
and  afford  water  for  stock.  The  native  grasses  flourish  abun- 
dantly on  these  plains  fed  by  the  slight  rains.  It  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  estimate  the  amount  of  land  that  might  be  irrigated 
from  the  various  sources.  Another  question  is.  how  far  will  it 
be  profitable  to  store  water  by  means  of  dams  built  in  the  stream 
beds.  There  are  many  thousands  of  acres  of  arable  land  in 
the  county,  but  according  to  present  knowledge  it  cannot  be 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  211 

said  that  there  is  water  in  sight  to  reclaim  more  than  100,000 
acres. 

Pasturage  and  Stock. 

At  present  it  would  seem  that  the  proper  method  by  which 
to  approach  the  reclamation  problem  in  Lincoln  county  is  by 
means  of  small  colonies.  A  sufficient  area  of  irrigable  land 
should  be  taken  in  some  of  the  many  river  and  creek  bottoms. 
The  contiguous  range  should  then  be  improved  by  the  sys- 
tematic development  of  its  springs  and  water  holes.  In  this 
way  stock  and  agriculture  coul'd  go  hand  in  hand,  and  the  de- 
velopment of  the  garden  and  orchard  would  be  simultaneous 
with  better  methods  of  stock  raising.  It  may  be  said  right  here 
that  no  matter  how  rich  or  resourceful  a  section  of  country  may 
be,  the  individual  irrigator  can  do  little.  Either  co-operation 
or  co-ordination  must  prepare  the  way  for  success.  The  united 
efforts  of  a  colony  always  tell  in  the  line  of  economy,  the  con- 
centration of  ordered  forces  by  a  corporation  makes  for  rapid 
development  in  its  widest  degree.  This  region  is  particularly 
tempting  to  the  colonist.  Stock  men  estimate  that  the  profit  on 
cattle  in  this  county  is  fifty  cents  monthly  per  head  from  the 
time  they  are  calved,  and  that  the  profit  on  sheep  is  50  per 
cent.  This  is  on  stock  raised  by  the  "open  range"  methods. 
In  the  plan  suggested  above  for  colonies  the  range  would  be- 
come a  stock  farm.  It  is  not  meant  that  the  farmers  should 
own  their  land  or  stock  in  common  but  only  that  they  should 
co-operate  for  the  common  good  in  the  development  of  water. 

Circumstances  are  so  favorable  to  stock  raising  in  Lincoln 
county  that  prudent  managers  think  2  per  cent  is  a  very  liberal 
estimate  of  loss  from  all  causes  while  the  cattle  or  sheep  are  on 
the  range.  Both  sheep  and  cattle  men  have  shown  wisdom  by 
importing  to  their  ranges  the  very  best  and  purest  blood  to 
cross  with  the  native  breeds.  The  flocks  and  herds  are  now 
splendidly  graded,  of  fine  form  and  size,  and  are  vigorous  and 
healthy.  The  bountiful  and  lasting  pasture,  the  excellent 
climate,  where  snow  scarcely  ever  covers  the  grass,  combine  to 
make  this  country  an  ideal  stock  region. 


212  NK\Y  MEXICO. 


Agriculture. 

Of  course  all  agriculture  in  Lincoln  county  is  conducted  by 
irrigation,  and  the  people  enjoy  all  the  advantages  of  that  style 
of  farming.  Until  recently  agriculture  was  very  primitive, 
though  the  yields  were  always  phenomenally  large.  The  old 
and  laborious  methods  of  the  past  have  given  place  to  modern 

• 

science.  The  best  agricultural  implements  have  been  employed 
and  to-day  the  country  is  dotted  with  thrifty  farms.  All  the 
valleys  should  be  covered  with  them.  Grapes  and  currants  grow 
wild  in  this  county  and  when  cultivated  mature  in  the  utmost 
abundance.  All  the  vegetables  thrive.  Cabbage,  lettuce,  celery, 
turnips,  parsnips,  carrots,  radishes,  peas,  tomatoes,  pumpkins, 
squashes,  onions,  melons,  okra  and  cucumbers  have  been  plant- 
ed and  all  have  yielded  larger  crops  than  the  farmers  ever 
thought  could  be  raised.  The  size  of  all  is  astonishing  and  the 
quality  perfection.  Beans  are  a  staple  crop.  The  average 
yield  is  900  to  1,500  pounds  per  acre.  They  are  sure  in  their 
results  and  command  from  4  to  6  cents  per  pound.  Alfalfa 
is  also  notable  in  its  yields.  From  four  to  five  cuttings  are 
made  every  year  and  the  crop  will  average  from  five  to  eight 
tons.  There  is  another  thing  that  should  be  remembered,  and 
that  is  that  some  of  the  best  agricultural  and  grazing  lands  in 
Lincoln  county  still  belong  to  the  public  domain.  Good  locations 
are  plentiful,  and  there  are  great  chances  here  for  the  men  who 
are  willing  to  grow  up  with  the  country. 

Timber. 

The  plains,  plateaux  and  valleys,  indeed  all  the  level  country 
is  generally  without  timber,  but  the  mountain  areas  are  heavi- 
ly forested.  This  supply  is  so  extensive  that  taken  as  a  whole 
it  may  be  said  to  equal  that  of  any  other  section  of  the  Terri- 
tory. It  extends  in  a  somewhat  broken  line  from  the  north- 
east to  the  southwest  a  distance  of  156  miles.  The  wood  con- 
sists of  pifion,  pine,  juniper,  ash,  cottonwood,  oak.  etc.,  and 
affords  excellent  building  material.  In  the  Capitan  mountains 


THE 

iVERSlTY 

OF 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  213 


there  is  a  large  saw -mill  capable  of  supplying  the  present  de- 
mand for  lumber. 

The  county  has  several  good  and  thriving  towns,  which,  al- 
though off  the  railroads,  are  considered  among  the  best  in  tho 
Territory. 

Lincoln. 

The  county  seat  is  Lincoln,  situated  in  the  central  portion  of 
the  county  and  connected  by  daily  stages  with  Carthage  and 
Ban  Antonio  on  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railroad  and 
also  with  Lava  on  the  same  road.  The  water  supply  is  good 
and  pure.  It  is  principally  obtained  from  the  Rio  Bonito  and 
from  wells.  The  surrounding  country  is  principally  devoted  to 
stock  raising  and  mining,  and  the  trade  of  the  town  is  with  the 
ranch  men  and  adjacent  miners.  The  climate  is  so  mild  that 
business  is  prosecuted  all  the  year  through.  Some  attention  is 
being  devoted  to  agriculture  and  there  are  a  number  of  good 
farms  near  the  town.  The  adjacent  mountains  are  covered  with 
pine,  cedar,  pifion  and  walnut. 

White  Oaks. 

.  The  town  of  White  Oaks  in  all  probability  will  shortly  have 
a  good  railroad  connection  through  the  Pecos  Valley  railroad. 
As  it  stands  now  it  is  eighty  miles  distant  from  the  Atchison, 
Topeka  &  Santa  F6  road.  It  is  surrounded  by  good  gold  mines 
and  mills  and  is  altogether  a  thriving  town.  The  mountains 
are  filled  with  coal  and  precious  mineral.  It  enjoys  an  equable 
climate,  good  water,  and  the  plains  are  grassy  and  afford  good 
pasture. 

Nogal. 

In  the  central  part  of  the  county  is  the  town  of  Nogal,  or 
Black  Walnut,  so  called  from  the  great  number  of  these  trees 
which  grow  in  the  neighborhood.  It  is  located  in  a  beautiful 
mountain  park,  watered  by  streams  and  springs,  and  is  alto- 
gether a  delightful  place.  Its  principal  trade  is  in  mining  and 
ranch  supplies. 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Other  Towns. 

Bonito,  Kuidoso,  Walkers,  Weed,  Upper  and  Lower  Penasco, 
Ft.  Stantou,  Las  Tablas,  Puertecito,  Tecolote  Wells  and  Red 
Cloud  are  the  remaining  towns  and  settlements. 

Fort  Stanton. 

i 

The  military  post  of  Fort  Stanton  is  located  in  a  beautiful 
valley  seven  miles  from  Lincoln,  the  county  seat.  It  is  now 
garrisoned  by  two  companies  of  infantry.  It  is  about  forty 
miles  north  of  the  Mescalero  Apache  Indian  Agency  and 
was  originally  established  forty  years  ago  to  keep  the  Mes- 
calero  Apaches  in  check.  These  latter  are  now  entirely 
peaceable  and  peacefully  inclined.  The  post  has  ample 
quarters  for  officers  and  men  for  two  companies  of  infantry  and 
two  troops  of  cavalry.  Between  it  and  White  Oaks  some  very 
extensive  and  good  coal  veins  have  been  discovered  and  pros- 
pected, but  the  want  of  rail  communication  has  retarded  devel- 
opment. Supplies  for  Ft.  Stanton  are  hauled  by  teams  from 
San  Antonio  or  Lava  station  on  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa 
F6  railroad. 

Mescalero  Reservation. 

In  the  southwestern  part  of  the  county  is  situated  the  Mes- 
calero Apache  reservation.  This  country  is  a  paradise.  It  is 
well  grassed,  watered  and  full  of  game.  These  Indians  are 
making  great  progress  in  farming  and  the  industrial  arts,  and 
many  of  their  children  are  attending  the  several  Indian  schools 
of  the  Territory.  The  reservation  contains  575,000  acres,  and 
there  are  about  600  Indians. 


SIERRA  COUNTY. 


The  beautiful  county  of  Sierra  enjoys  the  enviable  distinc- 
tion in  the  West  of  being  out  of  debt  and  maintaining  its  war- 
rants at  par.  The  population  is  between  4,000  and  5,000  peo- 
ple. It  is  situated  in  the  south  central  part  of  New  Mexico,  is 
partly  bounded  on  the  west,  north  and  east  by  Socorro  county. 
Grant  and  Dona  Ana  counties  complete  its  boundaries  on  the 
west  and  south.  For  forty-eight  miles  the  principal  merid- 
ian of  New  Mexico  forms  its  eastern  boundary,  whence  it 
stretches  in  a  gentle  slope  to  the  summits  of  the  Black  Range, 
a  distance  of  about  sixty  miles.  Its  average  length  and  breadth 
are  fifty-four  miles,  and  it  comprises  2,376  square  miles.  This 
is  a  small  county  for  New  Mexico,  but  its  diversified  contour 
of  plain,  valley  and  mountain  makes  it  one  of  the  most  promis- 
ing and  beautiful  in  the  Territory.  It  was  created  in  1883. 
The  Santa  F£  route  runs  through  its  eastern  portion  and  skirts 
its  southern  boundary.  From  Nutt  station  a  branch  of  this 
great  railroad  penetrates  to  Lake  Valley.  It  lies  principally 
on  the  Eio  Grande  water-shed,  which  river  passes  through  the 
entire  length  of  the  county,  taking  up  in  its  course  a  maze  of 
streams  and  creeks.  A  few  streams  at  the  western  limits  now 
toward  the  Gila. 

The  Principal  Mining  Districts 

are  the  Black  Eange,  Apache,  Cuchillo  Negro,  Kingston,  Her- 
mosa,  Animas,  Hillsborough,  the  North  and  South  Perchas  and 
Lake  Valley.  The  progress  of  these  camps  since  the  county  was 
created  has  been  very  great.  At  times  there  have  been  bm-k- 
sets,  but  the  .wonderfully  rich  strikes  constantly  occurring  have 
stimulated  energy  and  capital  and  recovery  has  always  been 
rapid. 


210  NEW  MEXICO. 


Physical  features. 

The  general  altitude  above  sea  level  of  tlie  valleys  is  between 
4,000  and  5,000  feet.  Three  mountain  ranges  run  parallel  with 
the  Rio  Grande.  On  the  west  tower  the  forest  crowned  sum- 
mits of  the  Black  Range  and  on  the  east  the  San  Cristobal  and 
Caballo  mountains.  Primitive  rocks  of  the  granitic  series  com- 
pose the  central  and  higher  portions  of  the  ranges,  and  over- 
lapping  this  formation  are  strata  of  quartzite,  porphyry,  lime- 
stone and  shale.  In  the  contacts,  faults  and  fissures  occur  the 
mineral  deposits.  The  valleys  are  wide  and  fertile,  seamed  by 
torrential  streams,  and  it  is  possible  to  reclaim  50,000  acres. 
All  the  mountains  are  heavily  forested,  and  in  the  Black  Range 
there  are  several  saw-mills  that  supply  the  county  with  lumber. 

Climate. 

The  weather  all  the  year  round  is  very  mild.  In  winter  the 
thermometer  rarely  falls  to  '20  degrees  below  freezing  and  never 
touches  zero.  Consequently  mining  operations  are  prosecuted 
continuously,  and  agriculture  has  no  disadvantages.  Blizzards 
and  snow-slides  are  unknown. 

Kingston. 

This  town  is  the  center  of  a  phenomenally  rich  silver  country. 
Probably  the  best  known  of  its  mines  are  the  Brush  Heap  and 
the  Illinois.  The  latter,  owned  by  the  Illinois  Mining  Company 
and  managed  with  great  success,  has  yielded  good  returns,  and 
there  is  hardly  a  doubt  but  that  if  the  white  metal  were  at  or 
near  par  further  prospecting  would  yield  great  wealth.  As  to 
the  Brush  Heap,  it  is  still  a  better  mine  than  most  of  those 
boasted  by  other  communities.  In  this  district  are  also  the 
Gypsy,  Lady  Franklin  group,  the  Kangaroo,  United  States, 
Calamity,  Kingston.  Etna,  Virginian,  Templar,  and  Blackie. 
In  this  last  a  great  deal  of  ore  was  found  on  the  surface  in  nug- 
gets. Recently  the  Brush  Heap  mine  has  been  the  only  steady 
shipper,  averaging  about  twelve  tons  a  week,  which  run  about 
200  ounces  of  pure  silver.  The  Calamity  occasionally  makes  a 
shipment  of  good  ore,  but  as  a  general  thing  the  late  terrible 


'          V-          i^PP*£? 


1 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  217 

depression  of  silver  has  caused  these  mines  to  shut  down.  The 
Iron  King  is  also  an  important  mine  as  it  furnishes  the  man- 
ganese used  by  the  Kingston  Ore  Reduction  Company  and 
other  smelters  as  a  flux.  The  character  of  the  mines  will  be 
better  understood  when  it  is  considered  that  out  of  one  cham- 
ber in  the  Comstock  $350,000  of  almost  pure  silver  were  taken. 
It  was  gutted  in  three  months.  The  ore  belt  stretches  from  the 
Trujillo  to  the  North  Percha,  and  no  one  able  to  devote  intel- 
ligent labor  to  mining  need  fear  for  results  in  the  beautiful 
camp  of  Kingston.  The  town  itself  is  well  situated,  has  a  pub- 
lic water  service,  churches  and  schools,  two  good  hotels,  and  a 
pushing,  go  ahead  population  of  about  1,000  persons.  The 
magnificent  specimens  of  native  silver  in  the  miner's  cabin  at 
the  World's  Fair  will  bear  out  this  testimony  to  the  richness  of 
that  region.  Native  silver  is  prevalent.  Only  one  other  in- 
stance need  be  mentioned.  In  the  chloro-bromide  ores,  like  those 
of  Tierra  Blanca,  assays  of  $6,000  to  the  ton  have  been  made. 

Kingston  is  reached  via  Hillsborough,  the  county  seat,  by 
Mathewson  &  Orchard's  stage  line  from  Lake  Valley.  The 
road  is  good  and  the  ride  delightful. 

This  camp  is  situated  in  the  valley  of  the  Bio  Percha  and 
was  discovered  in  1878.  Within  a  few  years  thereafter  $6,000,- 
000  were  realized  from  the  surface  riches  alone.  Since  this 
period  of  rapid  development  the  work  has  become  more  sys- 
tematic, and  nearly  every  mine  named  above  has  yielded  from 
$20,000  to  $1,500,000.  The  ores  are  native,  brittle,  sulphide, 
chloride  and  chloro-bromide,  and  are  found  in  connection  with 
quartz,  iron,  copper,  zinc,  galena  and  talc.  Binoxide  of  man- 
ganese prevails  throughout  the  district. 

Hillsborough. 

The  pretty  town  of  Hillsborough  is  the  county  seat  and  the 
center  of  the  gold  mining  district.  It  has  one  of  the  hand- 
somest court  houses  in  the  West,  good  schools  and  good 
hotels.  It  was  founded  in  1878.  The  success  and  pros- 
perity of  this  town  and  its  great  reputation  as  a  gold  camp  were 

28 


•Jls  NEW  MEXICO. 


only  obtained  after  years  of  persistent  effort.  For  the  first  ten 
years  of  its  existence  the  discouragement  was  only  cheered  by 
flitting  gleams  of  success.  The  ore  veins  are  found  on  either 
side  of  the  intrusive  porphyry  dykes  that  cross  the  country, 
radiating  from  Animas  Peak.  This  feature  insures  their  perma- 
nence to  any  depth  possible  to  be  attained  by  human  science, 
as  these  eruptive  dykes  must  of  necessity  extend  through  the 
crust  of  the  earth  to  the  Plutonic  rocks.  The  principal  mines 
of  this  character  now  operating  are  the  Snake,  Opportunity, 
Bonanza,  Richmond,  the  Copper  King  group,  El  Oro,  Wicks, 
Garfield,  Homestake-Trippe,  Happy  Jack,  Golden  Era,  Chance, 
Printer  Boy,  Bull  of  the  Woods,  Morton,  the  Champion  group. 
Smuggler  and  Ross.  The  first  four  named  are  great  mines. 
The  El  Oro,  Wicks,  Garfield  and  Homestake  have  produced 
from  $18,000  to  $100,000  each.  The  others  mentioned  are  also 
good  payers. 

Next  year  the  output  of  this  camp  will  be  about  60,000  tons, 
or  at  the  present  value  of  its  ores  about  $1,200,000.  This  will 
be  nearly  as  much  as  the  lodes  have  paid  prior  to  1898,  when 
the  value  of  the  total  output  footed  up  about  $1,500,000. 

For  instance,  for  the  week  ending  December  14,  1893,  the 
total  output  was  as  follows: 

Tons. 

Standard  Gold  Mining  &  Milling  Company- 
Snake  Mine 80 

Opportunity  Mine ±2f> 

Good  Hope-Bonanza  Mining  &  Milling  Company 

Bonanza  Mine 105 

Percha 95 

From  the  Eighty-five  and  other  mines 130 

Total 635 

Total  output  since  January  1, 1893 25,701 

CHARACTER    OF    THE    ORES. 

The  metal  carrier  in  this  district  is  quartz,  impregnated  with 
copper  and  iron  pyrites,  and  containing  precious  metals  in 
the  proportion  of  one  ounce  of  gold  to  five  ounces  of  silver. 
(Surface  ores,  to  a  depth  of  150  to  300  feet,  are  much  oxidized 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  219 

and  are  free  milling.  The  gold  values  vary  from  $(>  to  $175 
per  ton.  Ore  is  also  found  in  solid  pyrites. 

The  pamphlet  lately  issued  by  the  World's  Fair  committee  of 
this  county  says: 

"There  are  a  great  many  claims  upon  which  little  work  has 
been  done,  but  which  make  a  good  surface  showing  and  warrant 
the  expenditure  of  some  capital  to  prove  their  value.  They  can 
be  purchased  at  low  rates,  and  may  prove  great  investments. 
One  of  the  big  mines  of  this  district  was  thus  purchased  for 
about  $2,500,  and  with  an  expenditure  of  $4,000  was  placed 
upon  a  paying  basis.  It  would  now  take  about  $250,000  to  buy 
that  same  property.  Yet,  at  the  surface,  there  was  nothing  to 
especially  indicate  its  great  value.  Like  the  other  veins,  its 
course  is  straight  with  the  accompanying  porphyry  dyke,  and 
its  crop*pings  of  ore  in  average  value  were  low.  Such  oppor- 
tunities are  here  to  be  found  in  considerable  number.  Fortune 
favors  the  brave,  and  more  especially  in  mining  matters." 

SMELTERS    AND    MILLS. 

There  are  four  reduction  works  located  here,  and  a  new  eighty 
ton  furnace  is  being  put  in  by  the  Standard  Smelting  Company, 
which  will  increase  the  annual  output  from  this  camp  to  the 
figures  given  heretofore.  The  present  product  of  all  the  Hills- 
borough  mines  is  about  ninety  tons  a  day.  The  reduction  and 
smelting,  works  are  known  as  the  Hopewell,  the  Richmond,  the 
Bonanza  and  the  Standard. 

Perhaps  the  most  notable  feature  in  the  Hillsborough  gold 
mines  is  the  unbroken  continuity  of  the  ore  veins.  In  the  Op- 
portunity mine  a  drift  1,600  feet  in  length  was  carried  with- 
out a  break  in  its  average  of  about  one  foot  thickness  of  pay  ore. 
Thirty-two  hundred  feet  of  drifts  in  the  Bonanza  mine  show 
the  same  conditions,  always  some  ore  to  go  on.  Several  thou- 
sand feet  of  workings  in  the  Snake  and  in  the  Richmond  mines 
still  further  attest  this  valuable  feature.  The  ore  varies  in 
thickness,  of  course,  but  there  is  always  some  for  the  miner  to 
follow,  and  once  having  ore  you  have  it  always. 

LEAD    CARBONATES. 

Along  the  bases  of    the  porphyry  hills  in  which  the  gold 


220  NEW  MEXICO. 


mines  are  located  is  a  quartzite  dyke  in  which  crystallized  lead, 
sulphate  of  lead  and  lead  carbonates  are  found.  Much  work 
is  being  done  and  good  results  are  expected.  Manganese,  iron 
ores  and  some  flint  deposits  rich  in  gold  are  also  found. 

MARBLE. 

North  of  the  lode  district  and  near  the  Animas  river  are 
found  extensive  beds  of  white,  black  and  variegated  marble. 
These  quarries  contain  some  of  the  purest  marble  known. 

A    BIG    PROJECT. 

In  the  center  of  the  porphyric  dykes  before  mentioned  rises 
Animas  Peak.  A  company  is  now  engaged  in  rapidly  tunnel- 
ing through  the  base  of  this  mountain  so  as  to  cut  the  many 
leads  that  radiate  from  it.  It  is  a  big  undertaking,  but  about 
1,000  feet  of  the  work  is  now  done  and  the  investors  are  satis- 
fied with  the  showing  thus  far  made. 

PLACER    BEDS. 

To  the  west  of  the  lode  district  lie  some  phenomenally  rich 
placers.  Up  to  date  some  of  the  richest  dirt  has  been  teamed 
and  packed  to  the  Rio  Percha  and  washed  out,  and  men  have 
made  wages  fanning  out  the  gold  from  the  dry  dirt.  A  com- 
pany is  now  engaged  in  laying  a  pipe  line  from  the  Animas 
river  to  these  placers.  Already  about  $800,000  have  been  taken 
out  of  this  ground,  and  as  soon  as  the  pipe  line  is  completed 
the  output  will  run  up  into  the  hundred  thousands  per  year. 

Lake  Valley. 

Of  all  the  romances  of  mining  Lake  Valley  furnishes  the  best 
story.  Here  abounds  the  highest  grade  silver  ore.  In  the 
early  days,  when  Victoria,  Loco  and  Nana  made  this  valley  un 
healthy,  two  miners  struck  a  gold  prospect.  They  sold  it  for 
$100,000  to  a  Philadelphia  syndicate,  and  two  days  after  the 
lead  ran  into  the  Bridal  Chamber,  the  working  of  which  yield- 
ed over  $3,000,000.  The  expense  was  so  trifling  that  one  man 
offered  the  owners  $200,000  for  the  privilege  of  entering  the 
mine  and  taking  the  metal  that  he  could  knock  down  single 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  221 


handed  with  his  pick  in  one  day.  This  was  an  era  of  wild 
speculation,  from  which  Lake  Valley  suffered  a  natural  reac- 
tion ;  but  the  riches  of  the  camp  seem  only  touched  as  yet. 
Eight  million  dollars  have  been  taken  from  its  mines  but  there 
is  still  rich  ore.  It  lies  in  blanket  form  and  quickly  runs  into 
pockets  and  chambers. 

Chloride 

lies  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  county.  It  has  both  gold 
and  silver  bearing  fissure  veins  in  granite  and  syenite.  There 
are  two  groups  of  mines  tributary  to  this  place.  The  camp 
opened  in  1880,  and  has  paid  well.  However,  to  make  big  money 
it  is  necessary  to  go  deep  down.  The  principal  mines  are  the 
Silver  Monument,  Comet,  Independent,  Black  Prince,  Black 
Hawk,  Cashier,  Small  Hopes  and  Oural  in  the  upper  or  bornite 
group,  and  in  the  lower  are  the  St.  Cloud,  U.  S.  Treasury  and 
Grey  Eagle.  The  ore  yields  well  to  the  process  of  lixiviation. 

Grafton 

lies  north  of  Chloride  and  there  are  about  twenty-five  or  thirty 
miners  at  work  there.  It  is  on  the  road  to  Magdalena.  The 
miners  are  all  reported  satisfied  and  the  silver  is  easily  mined. 
When  this  is  said  truthfully  the  prosperity  of  a  camp  is  assured. 

Hennosa 

is  a  thriving  camp  between  Hillsborough  and  Chloride,  and 
nineteen  miles  south  of  the  latter.  The  principal  group  of 
mines  is  the  Pelican,  carrying  silver  and  lead.  These  ores  are 
always  valuable.  Before  the  fall  of  silver  there  were  about  109 
miners  at  work  in  this  camp  and  all  doing  well.  The  mines  are 
worked  a  good  deal  on  the  lease  system,  and  the  miners  have 
the  benefit  of  all  big  strikes. 

Other  Resources. 

Besides  the  precious  metals  there  are  immense  marble  quar- 
ries, and  on  the  Armendaris  grant  great  beds  of  coal,  speci- 
mens of  which  were  recently  analyzed  by  the  U.  S.  chemists 


222  .NEW  MEXICO. 


and  pronounced  of  excellent  quality.      The  Santa  Fe  route  runs 
through  these  beds,  which  are  easily  worked. 

Cattle. 

"In  the  good  old  days,"  as  the  cow  men  say,  thousands  upon 
thousands  of  stock  roamed  the  Sierra  ranges.  It  is  said  the 
grass  was  breast  high,  but  the  range  was  tremendously  over- 
stocked and  the  grass  is  now  no  more  than  enough  to  feed  the 
diminished  herds.  The  principal  companies  are  the  Rio  Ani- 
mas  and  the  Sierra  Land  &  Cattle  Company. 

Agriculture. 

The  same  conditions,  however,  that  made  cattle  profitable 
prevail  to  afford  the  farmer  a  sure  and  handsome  return  for  his 
labor.  There  are  about  4,000  acres  under  crop,  and  these  are 
but  an  earnest  of  what  will  be.  Fifty  thousand  acres  could  be 
easily  cultivated  and  watered  from  the  numerous  streams  and 
the  great  flow  of  the  Bio  Grande.  There  is  an  immediate 
market  for  the  produce  in  the  mines. 

Two  schemes  to  reclaim  large  tracts  are  under  way,  and  the 
farmer  who  desires  to  better  his  condition  will  be  repaid  if  he 
examines  the  land,  the  market  and  facilities  offered,  and  which 
now  are  open  to  his  grasp.  With  all  the  advantages  enumer- 
ated, Sierra  county  has  a  genial  and  salubrious  climate,  is 
situated  at  a  moderate  elevation,  and  asthma  and  kindred  dis- 
eases are  unknown.  Sierra  county  is  a  place  to  settle  and  to 
live  in ;  but  above  all  it  offers  opportunities  for  comfort,  and 
even  wealth,  to  the  intelligent,  energetic  immigrant. 

To  give  some  idea  of  the  prices  realized  on  farm  products  it 
is  only  necessary  to  mention  that  alfalfa  sells  for  $20  to  $25 
per  ton  the  year  round.  Vegetables,  fruits  and  dairy  products 
are  in  constant  demand.  Small  colonies,  from  a  dozen  to  fifty 
families,  equipped  with  a  capital  of  about  $1,000  each,  could 
make  excellent  locations  in  this  county.  The  demand  for  agri- 
cultural products  is  growing  and  the  prices  will  not  diminish 
for  some  years  to  come. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


Transportation  Facilities. 

The  Atchisou,  Topeka  &  Santa  F6  railroad  passes  through 
Sierra  county,  like  the  Kio  Grande,  from  north  to  south.  Its  dis- 
tributing points  are  at  Lake  Valley  for  the  south,  and  at  Engle 
for  the  east,  whence  well  equipped  stage  and  freight  lines 
penetrate  to  the  different  towns  and  villages  of  the  county.  The 
Santa  Fe  directory  has  done  much  to  develop  the  resources  and 
aid  in  the  growth  of  this  section  by  granting  low  rates  of  trans- 
portation on  ores  to  the  great  smelting  points  of  Colorado,  and 
to  Kansas  City,  Socorro,  N.  M.,  and  El  Paso,  Tex.  For  the 
740  miles  from  Lake  Valley  to  Pueblo  and  Denver  the  rate  is 
but  $5.80  per  ton.  Some  important  branches  and  extensions 
are  contemplated  to  penetrate  to  the  most  remote  mining  camps 
of  this  region,  and  it  is  the  aim  of  the  directory  to  foster  and 
sustain,  to  the  extent  of  its  power,  the  rapid  growth  of  the  min- 
ing industry.  An  immediate  improvement  is  the  extension  of 
the  Lake  Valley  branch  to  Hillsborough,  the  county  seat,  which 
will  bring  the  road  within  twelve  miles  of  the  most  distant  mines 
in  the  southern  half  of  the  county. 


GRANT  COUNTY. 


The  county  of  Grant,  named  for  the  great  soldier,  is  23  years 
old,  occupies  the  southwest  corner  of  New  Mexico,  and  has  an 
area  of  9,234  square  miles.  It  is  114  miles  long  by  81  miles 
wide.  It  is  bounded  on  the  west  by  Arizona,  on  the  south  by 
Old  Mexico,  on  the  eafct  by  Dona  Ana  and  Sierra  counties  and 
011  the  north  by  Socorro.  About  3,500,000  acres  are  available  for 
pasture  land  and  there  are  possibly  100,000  acres  that  can  be 
reclaimed  and  irrigated  by  water  in  sight. 

Physical  Features. 

The  general  appearance  and  contour  of  Grant  county  is 
anomalous.  The  great  divide  conies  down  near  its  western  line, 
trending  southwest.  It  divides  the  county  into  two  very  un- 
equal portions,  the  larger  of  which,  or  Mimbres  basin,  has  no 
ocean  drainage,  but  its  waters  flow,  sometimes  in  great,  all-de- 
vouring floods,  at  others  in  unnoticed  seepage,  toward  Palomas 
lake,  the  sink  of  this  great  region.  The  Gila  drains  the  north- 
west of  the  county  into  the  Gulf  of  California. 

The  Gila. 

This  river  rises  in  Socorro  county,  and  carries  off  the  Pacific- 
drainage  of  the  San  Francisco,  the  Mogollons,  the  Datil  and 
Black  mountain  ranges.  Owing  to  the  influence  of  the  moist 
winds  that  constantly  pass  over  it  from  the  western  ocean  it  has 
generally  been  supposed  that  farming  might  be  conducted  with- 
out irrigation.  On  the  Sapello,  Copper,  Duck,  Mogolloii  creeks, 
and  the  Gila  meadows  and  plateaus,  there  are  numerous  small 
tracts  where  crops  have  been  matured  for  a  period  of  fifteen 
years  without  any  artificial  application  of  water.  The  long 
series  of  dry  years  has  however  dissipated  this  idea  to  a  great 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


extent.  Crops  for  the  past  three  years  have,  to  say  the  least, 
been  precarious,  the  great  underflow  alone  offering  sustenance 
to  vegetation.  Daring  this  dry  period  a  large  increase  of  irri- 
gation on  the  Gila  by  means  of  small  farm  ditches  has  taken 
place.  This  region,  however,  offers  to  the  capitalist  tempting 
possibilities  of  gain.  It  is  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  greatest 
mining  centers  of  the  world.  Every  hillside  is  pregnant  with 
rich  ore;  the  market  for  farm  produce  is  immediate,  and  high 
prices  are  realized.  With  a  comprehensive  system  of  works 
about  30,000  or  40,000  acres  could  be  reclaimed,  and  the 
farmers  could  realize  from  deciduous  fruits  returns  that  would 
rival  those  from  the  orange  groves  of  California.  Apples,  pears, 
berries  and  such  fruits  here  reach  perfection.  The  country  is 
free  from  insect  pests,  and  the  intelligent  farmer  with  well 
watered  land  has  nothing  to  fear  from  drought  or  frost. 

The  Mimbres. 

The  Mimbres  rises  in  the  mountains  of  the  same  name,  tak- 
ing its  head  waters  within  a  mile  or  so  of  some  of  the  principal 
feeders  of  the  Gila,  but  on  the  gulf  side  of  the  mountains.. 
During  its  upper  course  it  takes  up  the  waters  of  many  large 
springs  and  small  water  courses,  and  supplies  water  for  over 
100  farms  ranging  from  200  to  about  ten  acres  in  extent.  These 
furnish  the  majority  of  the  vegetable  food  of  Silver  City  and 
the  surrounding  mining  camps.  They  are  thrifty,  well  kept 
plantations,  and  their  owners  enjoy  a  certain  prosperity.  The 
water  is  taken  out  of  the  river  on  the  community  system  by 
small  ditches  and  distributed  pro  rata  to  each  cluster  of  farms. 
Owing  to  the  peculiar  situation  of  the  valley  it  is  doubtful  if 
this  plan  could  be  much  improved  by  a  comprehensive  ditch 
system.  The  apples  and  hardy  fruits,  together  with  fine  vege- 
tables, raised  in  the  upper  valley  of  the  Mimbres  are  of  a  very 
superior  quality.  In  the  aggregate  there  are  about  5, 000  acres 
cultivated  and  the  prices  are  very  good;  5  cents  per  pound  is 
the  ruling  price  of  apples,  and  small  fruits  sell  even  higher. 
Potatoes  and  general  garden  vegetables  are  on  a  scale  about 

2!  I 


NEW  MEXICO. 


the  same  as  apples.      These  products  are  sold  in  the  surround- 
ing mining  camps. 

The  Singularity  of  the  Mimbres  Basin. 

Below  the  mountains  the  Mimbres  takes  the  form  of  what  is 
usually  termed  a  "lost  river."  About  thirty  miles  north  of 
Deming  it  debouches  onto  a  plateau  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  a  large 
plain  of  deep  alluvial  soil.  Little  or  no  water  is  in  sight  except 
in  the  flood  seasons;  but  it  may  always  be  had  at  moderate 
depths  below  the  surface.  For  sixty  miles  south  of  the  Mexican 
line,  and  for  a  similar  distance  east  and  west,  the  same  condition 
prevails.  The  rivers  rise  in  the  mountains,  drain  a  considerable 
water-shed  and  then  disappear  into  the  earth.  The  importance 
of  this  underflow  may  be  judged  by  the  numerous  lakes  which 
appear  in  Old  Mexico  just  south  of  the  line.  Palomas  lake  is 
the  principal.  It  is  about  five  or  six  miles  long,  three-quarters 
to  two  miles  wide  and  fed  by  hundreds  of  springs.  Some  of 
these  are  so  strong  that  their  disturbance  of  the  water  can  be 
plainly  seen  on  the  surface  of  the  lake. 

This  important  source  of  supply  is  being  exploited  by  two 
large  companies.  One  project  is  to  sink  a  bed  rock  dam  across 
the  Mimbres  canon,  effectually  stopping  the  underflow  of  the 
river  at  that  point,  and  then  to  take  the  water  raised  to  the 
surface  out  by  gravity  ditches  on  about  20,000  acres  of  as  good 
land  as  exists.  This  project  is  well  under  way.  It  has  been 
examined  by  the  best  engineers  and  pronounced  feasible.  Next 
season  will  probably  see  it  completed.  The  other  is  by  under- 
flow ditches  to  obtain  the  water  of  the  Mimbres  and  also  that  of 
the  Burro  mountains,  which  will  then  be  carried  by  canals  to 
the  neighborhood  of  Deming  and  placed  on  ten  acre  tracts. 
This  scheme  -also  appropriates  a  large  percentage  of  the  surface 
flow  of  the  Mimbres.  Both  are  extremely  practicable  proposi- 
tions. The  water  is  there  and  can  be  got  by  the  methods  proposed. 
This  will  place  an  aggregate  of  40,000  acres  under  ditch  in  this 
valley. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  22 


Cattle. 

At  a  conservative  estimate  there  are  200,000  head  of  cattle  in 
Grant  county.  The  most  favorable  conditions  prevail  for  stock 
raising.  The  county  presents  the  appearance  of  a  great  inland 
sea  that  had  been  drained  after  the  cretaceous  period.  The 
plains  lie  flat,  with  only  the  gentle  undulations  caused  by  wave 
action.  Dotted  here  and  there  over  the  surface  are  clusters  of 
mountains  from  1,000  to  2,000  feet  above  the  general  level.  The 
broad  plains  are  covered  with  black  and  white  grama  grass, 
and  the  showers  ordinarily  induced  by  the  mountain  clusters 
serve  to  keep  these  herbs  in  nutritive  condition.  Of  the  dozens 
of  valleys  where  good  range  is  found,  the  Animas,  Valley  delas 
Playas,  the  Florida  plains,  the  Gila  plains,  the  Sapello,  Upper 
Mimbres,  Mule,  Mogollon  and  Duck  creek  are  the  principal. 
Careful  and  conservative  stockmen  estimate  that  about  200,000 
cattle  and  numerous  flocks  of  sheep  still  range  in  Grant  county. 
When  the  disastrous  droughts  of  the  past  few  years  are  consid- 
ered this  fact  speaks  volumes  for  Grant  county.  When  other 
stockmen  are  complaining  that  out  of  herds  of  tens  of  thousands 
only  a  few  hundred  can  be  found,  Grant  county  still  marshals 
mighty  hosts  at  the  annual  round-ups. 

Except  in  the  rare  periods  of  long  continued  drought  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  overstock  the  Grant  county  range,  and  this 
fact,  taken  in  connection  with  the  policy  of  many  of  the  big 
rangers  to  sell  their  stock  as  youag  and  in  good  condition  as 
possible,  has  operated  favorably  on  Grant  county's  cattle  inter- 
ests. During  1893  there  was  not  only  enough  grass  for  the 
herds,  but  thousands  of  tons  of  grama  grass  hay  were  cut.  This 
county  for  the  four  years  previous  to  1893  was  a  large  importer 
of  hay ;  now  they  are  exporting  it  in  large  quantities.  This  hay 
grows  wild  on  the  public  domain,  and  only  costs  the  labor 
of  cutting.  It  is  now  worth  about  $19  per  ton,  with  a  prospect 
of  higher  prices  during  the  winter. 

Mining. 

In  mineral  resources  Grant  county  has  wealth  of  gold,  silver, 


228  NEW  MEXICO. 


lead,  copper,  opals,  marbles  and  building  stone.  The  following 
statistics  will  show  that  notwithstanding  the  dull  times  mining 
is  still  vigorously  practiced. 

In  the  gold  and  silver  camps  of  Lordsburg,  Pyramid  and 
Shakespeare  seventy-five  miners  are  at  work ;  Victorio,  a  silver 
camp,  has  twenty-five ;  Central  City,  a  gold  producer,  works  200; 
Pinos  Altos,  gold,  100;  Cook's  Peak,  the  greatest  lead  camp  in 
the  southwest  and  also  a  good  silver  producer,  employs  100 
men ;  Hadley,  silver,  fifty ;  The  Floridas,  silver,  ten ;  Tres  Her- 
manas,  silver,  ten;  Oak  Grove,  silver,  ten;  Georgetown,  low 
grade  silver,  130;  Hachitas,  high  grade  silver,  twenty-five  men. 

At  some  of  the  camps  some  difficulty  has  been  found  this 
year  to  get  water  for  the  mills,  but  taken  as  a  whole  the  mines 
of  the  county  may  be  considered  in  a  good  condition.  Of  course 
the  low  price  of  silver  is  a  drawback,  but  this  county  has  not 
felt  the  full  severity  of  the  hard  times. 

This  county  annually  produces  over  $1,000,000  of  gold  and 
about  $800,000  worth  of  silver. 

The  first  camps  opened  in  Grant  county  were  at  Pinos  Altos 
and  Central  City.  At  the  two  there  are  over  600  lodes  located, 
all  of  which  have  produced  some  good  ores.  These  are  gold 
camps.  When  silver,  during  the  year  1893,  was  depressed  and 
the  mines  producing  it  shut  down,  it  was  at  once  supposed  that  a 
serious  blow  had  been  struck  at  the  general  prosperity.  The 
miners,  however,  immediately  pushed  work  on  their  gold  leads, 
and  the  output  of  Grant  county,  which  is  now  almost  entirely 
gold,  or  silver  and  lead,  has  increased  to  nearly  double.  The 
gold  ores  from  this  district  are.  very  similar  to  those  of  Central 
City,  Colorado.  On  the  surface  they  consist  of  the  same  iron- 
stained  quartz,  containing  free  gold.  At  a  lower  depth  the  ore 
is  composed  of  sulphurets  of  iron  and  copper  with  auriferous 
galena  and  zincblende  deeper  still.  Nor  is  gold  the  only  paying 
ore.  Near  Pinos  Altos  one  mine  shows  a  streak  of  native  silver 
that  runs  $25,000  per  ton.  Since  the  introduction  of  large 
capital  even  the  rebellious  ores  of  the  lower  levels  are  yielding 
their  riches.  Good  concentrators  and  stamp  mills  have  been 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  229 

introduced  at  nearly  every  mine,  and  the  surety  and  success  of 
mining  in  this  region  has  long  been  an  allowed  fact.  The  silver 
mines  that  have  shut  down  on  account  of  low  prices  have  turned 
loose  a  large  body  of  energetic  miners  who  are  devoting  their 
attention  to  the  placers  and  gold  ledges  of  .the  county.  The 
climate  is  so  mild  that  work  is  continued  every  day  of  the  year. 
The  country  is  about  (>,50()  feet  above  sea  level,  under  a  warm 
southern  sun,  free  from  disease,  and  not  subject  to  those  sudden 
changes  from  warm  to  cold  that  are  so  fatal  in  the  mines  north 
of  New  Mexico.  The  western  half  of  the  county  is  one  vast 
stretch  of  gold  lodes  and  placers  intermixed  with  high  grade 
silver  veins. 

Silver  City. 

The  county  seat  is  Siver  City,  situated  at  the  foot  of  Pinos 
Altos,  in  the  beautiful  Chihuahua  valley.  All  the  northern 
half  of  the  county  and  parts  of  Socorro  county  and  Arizona  are 
directly  tributary  to  it,  and  it  outfits  dozens  of  surrounding 
camps.  It  lies  at  the  end  of  a  branch  line  of  the  Santa  Fe*  road, 
and  enjoys  the  advantages  accruing  to  every  large  supply  depot. 
Its  banks,  court  house,  hospital,  stores,  public  schools,  hotels 
and  other  buildings  of  a  public  and  semi-public  character  would 
do  credit  to  an  eastern  county  seat.  Since  the  opening  of  the 
Santa  Rita  copper  mines  in  1800  it  has  been  a  town  site,  but 
the  energy  of  the  last  decade  has  done  more  for  its  advance- 
ment than  all  the  previous  years.  Situated  as  it  is,  surrounded 
by  mills  and  concentrators,  almost  in  the  very  center  of  the 
mining  region,  its  stability  and  prosperity  are  assured.  Large 
business  blocks  are  built  or  projected,  and  during  the  year  1893 
about  twenty-five  business  houses  and  handsome  residences 
were  built  within  the  city  limits.  It  has  a  number  of  civic  and 
social  organizations.  Its  water-works,  lying  about  two  miles 
from  town,  assure  the  city  not  only  of  a  good  and  pure  supply 
of  water,  but,  as  there  is  a  normal  pressure  in  the  fire  hydrants 
of  144  pounds  to  the  inch,  immunity  from  the  ravages  of  that 
dangerous  element  is  certain.  The  water  is  pumped  to  a  high 
reservoir  by  powerful  machinery.  It  is  taken  from  a  tunnel 


230  NEW  MEXICO. 


which  drifts  across  bed  rock  the  fall  width  of  the  valley.  Un- 
der anything  like  ordinary  conditions  the  supply  Is  more  than 
ample.  Building  material  is  very  cheap  as  the  surrounding 
mountains  furnish  lumber  and  stone  of  the  best  character. 

This  method  of  developing  a  water  supply  is  worthy  of  a. 
complete  and  technical  description.  Space  however  does  not 
permit  this.  The  water  is  stopped  on  the  bed  rock  by  sub- 
drains.  The  location  is  in  a  wide  swale  or  shallow  valley  lead- 
ing down  from  the  Piuos  Altos  towards  Silver  City.  No  water 
whatever  runs  on  the  surface.  This  under-drainage  is  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  economic  development  of  the  arid  west. 
Silver  City  is  a  notable  example.  Not  only  has  she  an  ample 
supply  for  domestic  and  sanitary  purposes  of  a  large  city,  not 
dependent  on  chance  showers,  but  through  her  pumping  sys- 
tem she  is  relieved  as  much  as  possible  from  danger  of  fires. 

The  court  house,  the  Sisters'  hospital,  the  fine  blocks  that 
line  the  business  streets,  the  churches,  the  commodious  and 
comfortable  hotels,  of  which  there  are  four,  give  the  city  a 
metropolitan  air.  The  salubrious  climate  makes  good  the  local 
claims  as  a  sanitarium.  Situated  at  about  6,000  feet  elevation, 
at  about(35  degrees  15  seconds }  north  latitude,  protected  by 
encircling  mountains,  all  the  conditions  are  perfect  for  the  pres- 
ervation of  health  or  the  restoration  of  the  invalid  to  sound 
physical  existence.  The  springs  are  early  ai:.d  winters  mild, 
while  the  summers  are  never  torrid.  The  latitude  is  the  same 
as  that  of  the  northern  coast  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  but  the 
heat  is  tempered  by  an  elevation  of  more  than  a  mile  above  the 
sea.  The  air  is  dry  and  ozonated,  and  the  influence  of  the 
pine  forests  is  felt,  like  balsam  in  every  breath.  The  invalid 
who  settles  here  will  find  his  interest  in  life  reviving.  He  will 
mix  with  a  brainy,  cultured  populace,  and  in  a  short  time  will 
find  himself  discussing  business.  He  will  find  ground  cheap 
and  material  plentiful  to  build  a  home,  to  which  purpose  the 
universal  hospitality  of  the  people  will  impel  him,  and  in  a 
short  time  he  will  feel  himself  a  useful  member  of  a  growing  and 
thriving  community.  Silver  City  has  a  wonderfully  bright  future. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION.  231 


Deming. 

At  the  jiiDctioii  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  and  the 
Southern  Pacific  railways  is  situated  the  enterprising  and 
thriving  town  of  Deming.  It  is  a  natural  railroad  center  and 
point  of  transshipment  for  the  great  and  growing  traffic  of  South- 
ern California,  Arizona  and  southwestern  New  Mexico.  The 
importance  of  Deming  as  a  railroad  town  can  hardly  be  over- 
estimated. The  great  Mormon  railroad  is  projected  from  this 
point.  As  proposed  it  will  run  south  via  Columbus,  on  the 
boundary  line,  thence  to  Guerrero  and  then  to  Chihuahua,  a 
distance  of  510  miles.  A  branch  of  this  road  has  also  been 
surveyed  across  the  Sierra  Madre  mountains  to  Sonora,  on  the 
Gulf  of  California.  The  total  mileage  of  this  road,  according 
to  the  provisions  of  the  Mexican  cession  will  be  1,292  miles,  and 
it  will  open  to  commerce  one  of  the  richest  sections  of  country 
on  the  American  hemisphere.  At  Ascencion,  Diaz,  Pacheco, 
Las  Palomas,  Colonia  Juarez  and  Dublan  the  Mormons  have 
already  established  colonies  aggregating  over  12,000  English 
speaking  people.  Their  nearest  trade  center  and  market  is  Dem- 
ing.  The  country  tributary  to  it  is  therefore  of  much  commer- 
cial value,  as  the  business  back  and  forth  with  these  people  is 
very  large.  This,  however,  is  only  one  factor  in  the  growth  of 
Grant  county.  In  a  suit  between  the  railroads  the  plateau  on 
which  Deming  stands  was  characterized  as  only  fit  for  the  home 
of  the  broad- horned  steer,  horned  toads  and  rattlesnakes.  The 
people  have,  however,  introduced  a  great  number  of  wind-mills, 
by  which  the  vast  underflow  of  water  is  raised  to  the  surface 
and  put  on  the  land.  Dozens  of  gardens  surround  the  town. 
These  are  rapidly  developing  into  a  comprehensive  system  of 
irrigation.  Two  enterprises  are  now  under  way,  and  the  town 
itself  has  constructed  a  reservoir  of  45,000,000  gallons  capacity 
Its  supply  is  pumped  from  an  immense  well. 

Cana-agria. 

As  before  mentioned  cana-agria  carries  a  larger  percentage 
of  tannic  acid  than  any  plant  known.      At  Deming  extracting 


232  NEW  MEXICO. 


works,  complete  in  every  detail,  have  been  built.  Three  tons 
of  the  root  are  reduced  to  one  ton  of  extract.  The  present  invest- 
ment amounts  to  $100,000,  and  the  works  cover  nearly  two 
acres  of  ground.  This  extract  makes  the  most  pliable  and  best 
leather  known.  It  is  shipped  to  all  the  principal  tanneries  of 
the  world,  and  the  owners, are  constantly  overcrowded  with 
orders. 

Isordsburg 

is  the  center  of  the  southwestern  third  of  Grant  county,  and  is 
a  thriving  little  town.  It  is  a  gold  camp  and  is  at  present  very 
prosperous.  The  surrounding  stockmen  in  former  years  devel- 
oped their  cattle  ready  for  the  Eastern  market.  Of  late  they 
have  taken  to  breeding  and  selling  one  and  two  year  old  stock, 
which  enables  them  to  keep  a  larger  number  on  the  range,  and 
has  brought  Lordsburg  into  much  prominence  as  a  cattle  center. 

Georgetown. 

This  town  is  on  the  Mimbres,  about  twenty  miles  from  its 
source.  It  is  the  center  of  several  hundred  good  mining  claims 
of  low  grade  silver.  At  present  there  are  130  men  at  work,  prin- 
cipally on  leases.  Only  the  pay  streaks  are,  however,  being 
worked,  as  it  is  not  profitable  to  mine  the  low  grade  ore.  A 
clean-up  is,  however,  made  of  this  selected  ore  about  once  a 
month,  and  a  shipment  running  from  one  to  five  or  six  carloads 
sent  off.  The  ore  shipped  is  worth  from  812,000  to  $15,000 
per  month,  and  all  the  men  in  the  camp  are  making  good  wages. 
There  are  immense  bodies  of  silver  and  lead  ores  here,  and  the 
town  is  bound  to  be  a  thriving  point.  There  are  several  large 
stores  here  now,  and  the  business  with  the  surrounding  country 
for  miles  is  large. 

O 

Fort  Bayard. 

This  is  one  of  the  important  military  posts  of  the  United 
States.  It  is  located  seven  miles  from  Silver  City,  and  is  gar- 
risoned by  four  companies  of  cavalry  and  two  of  infantry.  It 
is  also  headquarters  of  the  24th  infantry  and  has  a  fine  band. 
It  was  located  and  built  early  in  the  '70s  to  prevent  the  raids  of 


c/3 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 

the  San  Carlos  Apaches  into  New  Mexico  and  of  the  Hot 
Springs  Apaches  into  Arizona,  and  also  to  prevent  the  excur- 
sions of  Indians  from  the  United  States  into  Mexico.  It  has 
served  its  purpose  well,  and  also  has  protected  the  rich  mining 
districts  of  Pinos  Altos  and  Central  City  from  ravage.  Before 
the  erection  of  this  post  many  miners  lost  their  lives  in  these 
regions,  and  it  was  almost  impossible  for  a  prospector  to  escape 
an  engagement  with  some  hostile  Indian.  Since  its  building 
all  this  has  changed  and  quiet  and  security  reign. 

Evidences  of  an  Ancient  Civilization 

are  everywhere  visible  in  Grant  county.  The  inference  is  plain 
that  it  once  supported  a  large  and  thriving  population.  Ruins 
abound  everywhere,  and  in  some  cases  the  evidences  of  crude 
mine  workings  are  to  be  seen.  The  time  is  not  far  distant  when 
this  county  under  better  and  more  stable  times  will  advance  to 
a  front  rank.  The  advantages  so  briefly  sketched  in  the  above 
are  already  inviting  capital.  Large  investments  have  in  some 
instances  been  made;  and  it  may  be  said  generally  of  Grant 
county  that  any  one  desirous  of  bettering  his  condition— be  it 
what  it  may — who  is  willing  to  work  hard,  can  succeed  in  this 
thrifty  and  beautiful  region. 


80 


DONA  ANA  COUNTY. 


Dona  Ana  county  is  situated  on  the  Mexican  boundary  of 
the  United  States,  between  Grant  county  on  the  west  and  Ed- 
dy on  the  east.  On  the  north  it  is  bounded  by  Sierra.  Soco- 
rro  and  Lincoln  counties.  It  contains  8,280  square  miles,  and 

includes  a  country  almost 
unrivaled  in  variety  and 
richness.  It  is  provided  with 
about  200  miles  of  railroad 
communication  in  the  shape 
of  a  triangle  formed  by  the 
Santa  Fe  route  and  the 
Southern  Pacific  railway. 
They  start  from  El  Paso  on 
the  southern  boundary.  The 
former  runs  north  to  Kin- 
con  and  then  branches 
south westwardly  to  Deming, 

in  Grant  county.  The  Southern  Pacific  also  reaches  Deming, 
forming  the  base  of  the  triangle.  The  county  is  unique  in  en- 
joying such  extended  railroad  facilities. 

Physical  Features. 

This  county  lies  almost  wholly  in  the  basin  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
which  flows  through  it  in  a  southwestwardly  direction,  carrying 
water  enough  if  properly  developed  and  used  to  make  a  world  re- 
nowned granary  and  vineland.  Stretching  around  it  and  be- 
ginning at  the  Floridas,  at  its  mid-western  boundary,  are  the 
Goodsight,  Santa  MagdaJena,  Sierra  Caballo,  Sacramento,  Ja- 
rilla,  Hueco  and  Franklin  ranges  of  mountains,  while  the 
Sierra  Oscura,  San  Andres  and  Organ  mountains  pass  through 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  235 

its  center  in  a  grand  and  beautiful  series  of  peaks.  The  south- 
western corner  of  this  county  is  included  in  the  sink  of  the 
Mimbres.  Here  springs  abound  and  water  is  everywhere  at- 
tainable at  very  slight  depths.  The  mineral  richness  of  this 
portion  of  the  county  is  also  very  great  and  there  is  little  doubt 
that  the  near  future  will  witness  a  rapid  and  permanent  de- 
velopment of  agriculture  and  mining  matters  along  the  bound- 
ary line  of  Dona  Ana  and  Grant  counties.  Possessing,  as  this 
section  undoubtedly  does,  water,  mineral  and  land,  this  is  a  cer- 
tainty. From  the  eastern  base  of  the  San  Andres  mountains 
stretch  vast  deposits  of  gypsum  which  will  shortly  become  ex- 
tremely valuable  as  a  road  building  material.  Hon.  C.  B.  Eddy- 
has  already  attained  considerable  success  with  this  material  at 
the  town  named  for  him,  and  experts  in  the  East  pronounce  it 
the  best  road  maker  known. 

The  Mesilla  Valley. 

The  greatest  and  best  known  region  is,  however,  that  portion  of 
the  Kio  Grande  valley  known  as  the  Mesilla  valley.  On  the  east 
it  is  bounded  by  the  Organ  mountains;  on  the  west  stretches  a 
great  llano  or  high  table  land,  which  breaks  down  from  the 
Magdalena  mountains  and  seems  to  flow  thence  southward  along 
the  Rio  Grande. 


Cruces 

is  the  commercial  center  of  this  valley  and  the  county  seat.  In 
itself  it  is  a  quaint  collection  of  houses  coming  down  from  the 
old  Mexican  regime.  In  the  early  days  its  richness  attracted 
immigration  from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  and  its  fame 
had  reached  to  the  oldest  Caucasian  cities,  inviting  the  bold 
and  brilliant  to  come  and  found  wealthy  families.  The  era  that 
succeeded  the  war,  during  which  the  great  transcontinental  roads 
were  building,  drew  off  from  it  the  tide  of  immigration.  It  is 
one  of  the  countries  to  be  rediscovered.  A  man  goes  there, 
views  the  lights  and  shades  ever  changing  on  the  Organ  moun- 
tains, sees  the  wide  alfalfa  fields,  glowing  and  luscious  orchards, 
grain  fields  and  vineyards,  and  is  impressed  with  the  beauty  of 


230  NEW  MEXICO. 


the  scene.  He  passes  a  field  to-day  and  sees  it  closely  clipped 
of  its  verdure.  He  returns  in  a  week  or  so  and  sees  the  same 
a  billowy  mass  of  alfalfa.  Four  and  five  cuttings  of  this  fra- 
grant and  profitable  crop  are  garnered  during  every  season. 
Grapes  are  indigenous  to  this  soil.  Apples,  peaches,  plums, 
nectarines  and  apricots  flourish  in  luxuriance.  The  figures  and 
statistics  hereafter  given  will  furnish  an  idea  of  the  prosperity 
of  the  farmer  of  this  valley. 

Cattle. 

The  plains  furnish  a  large  crop  of  grama  grass  each  year  and 
large  herds  of  beef  cattle  fatten  upon  it.  If  the  range  is  not 
overstocked  the  cattle  men  can  winter  their  beeves  without  loss, 
and  the  bottoms,  where  the  nutritious  grasses  that  must  have 
water  grow,  will  fatten  them  for  market.  Thousands  of  dollars  are 
annually  made  from  this  industry.  The  more  progressive  stock- 
men raise  or  lease  large  alfalfa  fields  on  which  they  give  their 
cattle  a  final  feed  before  sending  them  to  market.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  necessary  as  a  rule.  The  showers,  which  are  not  in- 
frequent during  the  summer  months,  keep  the  ranges  in  good 
condition  and  it  is  only  during  a  series  of  dry  years  that  tame 
grass  is  at  all  necessary  to  bring  stock  into  condition. 

Agriculture  and  Horticulture. 

The  agricultural  crops  of  Dona  Ana,  and  especially  of  the  Me- 
silla  valley,  are  alfalfa,  fruits  and  the  cereals.  In  the  gardens  and 
vineyards  the  finest  fruits  of  the  temperate  zone  reach  perfection. 
Many  eastern  farmers  hesitate  about  settling  in  the  West  be- 
cause of  its  arid  character,  which  necessitates  irrigation.  The 
cost  of  this  artificial  application  of  water  is  small,  averaging  not 
over  $3  per  acre  yearly  for  water  right  and  labor.  A  competent 
authority  puts  the  cost  of  labor  at  less  than  $1  per  acre  for  six 
irrigations.  This,  however,  applies  to  field  crops.  Orchards 
and  vineyards  require  more  care  and  consequently  more  expense. 

Taking  alfalfa  as  a  standard  it  will  require  an  expense  of  about 
$13  to  break,  seed  and  lay  out  an  acre,  while  it  will  take  about 
$15  per  acre  to  pay  for  irrigating,  cutting,  taxes,  water  right, 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  237 

hauling  to  depot  and  commission  on  sale.  On  the  other  hand, 
alfalfa  is  a  paying  crop  Four  to  five  cuttings  are  made  per 
year,  and  each  cutting  averages  from  about  one  to  three  tons 
per  acre.  On  June  3  of  this  year,  at  the  Alameda  ranch,  near 
Las  Cruces,  the  writer  viewed  a  perfect  jungle  of  alfalfa.  It 
stood  almost  up  to  a  man's  hips,  and  laced  and  interlaced  into 
such  a  tangle  that  no  one  could  make  the  passage  of  the  field 
of  nearly  100  acres  without  as  much  difficulty  as  would  be  found 
in  traversing  the  same  amount  of  lightly  drifted  snow.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  season  the  average  price  of  this  product  is  $10 
per  ton,  delivered  baled  on  the  cars.  It  may,  however,  be  said  that 
few  farmers  sell  their  alfalfa  at  this  price.  The  annual  average 
will  run  about  $12  or  a  little  over  per  ton,  the  reason  being 
that  within  a  radius  of  150  miles,  in  the  mines  and  on  the  ranges, 
this  hay  is  worth  $20  to  $22  per  ton.  An  acre  of  good  alfalfa 
land  in  the  Mesilla  valley  should  not  produce  less  than  five  tons, 
and  with  good  seeding,  watering  and  care  the  average  should  be 
nearer  ten  tons.  At  the  latter  figure  this  would  be  a  gross 
return  of  $120  per  acre  annually.  This  is  not  a  general  thing, 
but  there  are  fields  that  produce  to  this  amount,  and  any  farmer 
of  the  East,  who  will  devote  the  same  energy  it  requires  to  cul- 
tivate his  eastern  farm,  will  equal  this  figure.  Alfalfa  in  the 
Mesilla  valley  and  in  fact  in  all  Dona  Ana  county  is  a  sure  and 
profitable  crop,  but  it  must  be  carefully  watched.  Intelligence 
is  what  tells  in  its  culture. 

Crop  Values. 

A  recent  report  of  the  Agricultural  Department,  executive 
document  No.  41,  part  1,  52d  Congress,  1st  session,  page  219, 
speaking  of  this  county  says: 

"Alfalfa  will  bring  $80  to  the  acre.  Wheat  and  corn  are  low 
in  average,  wheat  $20  to  the  acre ;  corn  will  bring  $36.  Grapes 
at  2  cents  a  pound  will  net  $200  an  acre.  An  acre  of  700  vines, 
averaging  twenty  pounds  to  the  vine,  will  at  2  cents  a  pound 
pay  $280.  The  finest  varieties,  such  as  the  Muscat  and  Tokay, 
will  average  per  year  $300  per  acre.  They  have  brought  $600 
per  acre.  *  *  *  Alfalfa,  June  30,  1890,  was  worth  $15  per 
ton  in  the  cured  bale.*' 


238  NEW  MEXICO. 


Grape  Culture. 

Two  years  ago  the  Secretary  of  the  Bureau  of  Immigration 
predicted  that  "the  Mesilla  valley,  in  southern  New  Mexico,  is 
destined  to  become  the  fruit  garden  of  the  continent/'  Since 
then  his  judgment  has  been  endorsed  by  Monsieur  Pierre  Viala, 
professor  of  vine  growing  at  the  national  school  of  vine  grow- 
ing, France,  who  was  in  the  United  States  studying  vinicul- 
ture. He  says:  "It  really  makes  me  homesick  to  see  these 
vineyards.  It  is  a  splendid  soil  for  the  purpose.  It  could 
hardly  be  better.  *  *  *  With  such  a  climate  and  soil,  this 
valley  (the  Mesilla)  can  have  few  rivals  in  grape  culture."  This, 
is  praise  indeed.  To  mature  a  vineyard  such  as  these,  described 
by  competent  authority  to  be  unrivaled,  requires  but  three 
years;  and  once  in  full  bearing  they  may  be  rented  to  commis- 
sion merchants  at  from  $80  to  $120  an  acre  per  annum.  This, 
however,  is  a  bad  practice  and  should  be  discouraged.  The  rental 
is  spent  away  from  the  place  of  production  and  does  the  county 
no  good.  Besides,  the  leases  are  short  and  the  merchant  con- 
trolling them  often  forces  the  vines  too  much.  It  is  a  repre- 
hensible practice,  and  its  only  virtue  is  to  show  the  value  of  a 
Mesilla  valley  vineyard  as  an  investment.  All  varieties  of  the 
grape  seem  to  be  indigenous  to  this  valley  and  county.  Judge 
G.  W.  Woods,  of  Las  Cruces,  who  came  to  this  valley  about  six 
years  ago  from  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  says:  "In  May,  1889,  I  placed 
cuttings  of  the  Gros  Coleman  grape  on  my  place,  which  I  had 
brought  from  the  Isle  of  Jersey,  as  an  experiment.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1891  these  cuttings  produced  sixty  pounds  of  grapes  to 
the  vine,  some  of  them  measuring  3|  inches  in  circumference. 
The  average  weight  to  the  bunch  was  1 J  pounds."  This  variety 
of  grapes  has  been  widely  planted  from  cuttings  furnished  by 
Judge  Woods,  and  all  report  their  excellent  qualities.  It  shows 
that  the  grape  is  indigenous  to  the  Mesilla  valley. 

Other  Fruits. 

The  various  other  hardy  fruits  also  reach  perfection  in  Dona 
Ana  county.  Peaches,  pears,  plums,  apricots,  quinces,  prunes 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  239 

and,  above  all  except  peaches,  apples  flourish.  Major  W.  H. 
H.  Llewellyn  has  a  beautiful  ranch  of  thirteen  acres,  includ- 
ing almost  all  these  fruits.  Hon.  Martin  Lohman,  the  present 
sheriff,  has  another  large  ranch,  while  dozens  of  others,  among 
whom  may  be  mentioned  Messrs.  Spatcier,  Schaublin,  Bull, 
and  Mrs.  Casad,  have  fine  places.  These  orchards  are  thriv- 
ing, the  vineyards  pay  big  profits  and  the  whole  is  in  a 
prosperous  condition.  The  purpose  is  to  strictly  confine  these 
statements  to  facts.  Therefore  only  one  will  be  cited,  and  that, 
although  startling,  is  absolutely  incontestible.  Judge  G.  W. 
Woods  has  a  most  beautiful,  well  tended  orchard.  It  is  set  out 
in  apples  and  peaches  alternately,  seventy  trees  of  each  to  the 
acre.  Last  year  his  full  bearing  peaches  yielded  $10  per  tree 
or  $700  to  the  acre.  This  does  not  include  the  apples,  which 
yielded  in  proportion. 

"Go  thou  and  do  likewise,"  might  be  said,  but  few  would 
give  the  labor  and  intelligence  to  the  business  that  Judge  Woods 
does.  Early  in  the  spring  he  goes  over  his  trees  and  strips  them 
of  all  superfluous  fruit.  In  this  way  his  trees  are  not  broken 
down,  nor  is  the  quality  of  the  ripened  specimens  deteriorated. 
Each  peach  and  apple  is  perfect  and  his  product  sells  from  1  to 
2J  cents  per  pound  higher  than  the  best  California  fruit. 

Watermelons  grow  well.  One  field  here  yearly  supplies  the 
Albuquerque  fair  with  them,  and  the  owner  says  he  can  raise 
any  melon  as  well  if  not  better  than  the  eastern  farmers.  He 
says  "the  Dona  Ana  melons  are  equal  to  any  except  the  prize 
specimens  that  horticulturists  manufacture  by  splitting  the 
stem  of  a  big  melon,  then  inserting  a  long  yarn  arid  feeding  it 
with  fresh,  rich  milk.11 

Bee  Culture 

is  a  source  of  profit  in  connection  with  all  the  above.  The  wide 
stretching  alfalfa  fields  yield  a  peculiar  variety  of  honey  that  is 
exceptional  as  a  remedy  in  consumption  and  all  throat  and  lung 
diseases.  A  hive  will  yield  fifty  pounds  of  honey  per  year, 
worth  12  to  15  cents  per  pound.  An  acre  of  ground  with  150 


240  NEW  MEXICO. 


trees  will  accommodate  twice  that  number  of  hives.  The  reader 
can  make  his  own  calculations  of  profit  from  this  source.  Bee 
culture  is  practical  on  every  ranch  in  Dona  Ana  county. 

Mining 

is  an  important  industry.  The  Bennett-Stephenson  puts  out 
such  a  rich  silver  ore  that  it  is  running  even  at  the  present  low 
price  of  silver.  A  mill  capable  of  turning  out  half  a  ton  of 
concentrates  per  hour  is  working  up  this  ore  prior  to  shipment 
to  the  smelter  at  Socorro.  The  Modoc  is  also  a  good  shipper. 
Of  late  the  mines  of  the  Organ  mountains  have  become  such  an 
important  factor  in  the  wealth  of  Dona  Ana  that  a  company 
has  erected  a  large  concentrator  at  the  depot  in  Las  Ouces, 
where  most  of  this  ore  will  receive  its  initial  treatment.  It  is 
well  and  solidly  constructed. 

Towns  find  Cities. 

All  the  way  along  the  Santa  Fe  from  Eincoo  to  El  Paso  the 
eye  is  gladdened  with  the  verdure  and  life  of  pretty  little  towns, 
the  most  important  of  which  are  Rincon,  Dona  Ana,  Mesilla 
and  Las  Cruces.  The  first  is  an  important  railroad  center,  with 
good  future  prospects. 

I^as  Cruces 

is  the  county  seat ;  has  good  schools,  a  fine  court  house,  churches, 
a  splendid  academy  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  Loretto,  and 
contains  the  Territorial  Agricultural  College.  This  institution 
is  a  model  of  its  kind.  It  has  taken  up  the  culture  of  cafia-agria, 
and  two  plats,  one  watered  and  the  other  not,  are  devoted  to  the 
study  of  the  peculiarities  of  this  plant.  It  is  also,  by  example, 
introducing  the  very  latest  methods  among  the  surrounding 
farmers.  It  teaches  in  its  classes  the  English  and  classic  courses, 
besides  such  branches  of  agriculture  and  science  as  will  be  fun- 
damentally useful.  The  chemistry  of  plants,  botany  and  ento- 
mology receive  much  attention.  The  writer,  in  a  recent  inves- 
tigation, saw  some  beautiful  specimens  and  drawings  made  from 
the  microscope.  All  the  work  possible  about  the  place  is  done 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  241 

by  the  students  themselves,  and  there  is  inculcated  a  practi- 
cal tendency ;  the  board  of  regents  is  now  in  correspondence 
with  the  Secretary  of  War  for  the  purpose  of  having  a  military 
instructor  detailed.  The  school  will  then  be  placed  under  mili- 
tary discipline.  Prof.  Hiram  Hadley  is  head  of  this  model 
institution  of  practical  training. 

HOTELS. 

Notwithstanding  the  delightful  climate  of  Dofia  Ana,  and  its 
altitude,  about  3,600  feet,  calculated  to  benefit  the  sick  or  well, 
not  much  could  be  said  of  it  as  a  temporary  resort  until  lately. 
Mr.  J.  K.  Livingston  has,  however,  recently  erected  a  model  home 
hotel  one  mile  from  the  depot  at  Las  Cruces.  It  is  bowered  in 
trees,  surrounded  by  a  small  but  beautiful  ranch,  and  commands 
a  splendid  view  of  the  Organ  mountains.  Within  its  hospitable 
shade  no  one  need  fear  dust,  storm  or  wind.  The  wide  stretch- 
ing fields  shield  it  from  the  sand  storms,  while  the  roses  that 
surround  it  might  appropriately  demand  that  it  be  called  Rose 
Lodge.  The  owner  has  deemed  the  name1  of  Alameda  best.  This 
splendidly  conducted  ranch  hotel  combines  all  the  beauties  and 
conveniences  of  farm  and  hotel  life.  The  choicest  and  earliest 
fruits,  cream,  butter  and  vegetables  are  always  on  the  table. 

Tularosa 

is  a  pretty,  well  laid  out  town  southwest  of  the  Mescalero 
Apache  reservation,  and  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  canon 
of  the  river  of  the  same  name.  It  is  growing  in  importance 
and  is  destined  for  a  great  future.  The  fruit  industry  of  this 
section  is  coming  more  into  prominence.  The  peaches  and 
grapes  are  especially  fine.  A  great  deal  of  good  wine  is  also 
made  here.  Mining  and  stock  raising  are  also  profitable  busi- 
nesses. 

Chamberino,  Amoles,  Colorado,  Dofia  Ana,  Earlham,  La  Mesa 
and  San  Miguel  are  all  important  settlements  in  the  Mesilla 
valley.  In  fact  the  whole  of  this  valley  is  dotted  with  beauti- 
ful towns  and  villages. 

31  ••'•-.. 


242  NEW  MEXICO. 


Gypsum. 

The  White  Sands,  which  occur  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
the  county,  in  the  large  plain  east  of  the  Oscura,  west  of  the 
Sacramento  mountains,  are  a  very  peculiar  formation,  deriving 
their  name  from  their  snow-white  appearance,  really  being  a 
vast  deposit  of  gypsum  in  pulverized  form,  in  many  places  ab- 
solutely pure.  The  hills,  which  are  about  twenty-five  miles 
north  from  Shedd's  Eanch  and  eighteen  south  from  Tularosa, 
occupy  a  section  about  thirty  miles  long  from  north  to  south 
and  from  one-half  to  five  and  six  miles  in  width.  The  deposit 
forms  hills  twenty  to  fifty  feet  high  which  move  like  the  dunes 
on  the  sea  shore,  under  the  wind.  It  is  a  most  valuable  mate- 
rial for  the  manufacturing  of  plaster  of  Paris  as  well  as  for 
fertilizing  purposes  for  the  wheat  fields  of  the  East,  and,  when 
the  railroad  from  El  Paso  to  White  Oaks  is  built,  fortunes  will 
be  made  out  of  handling  it  in  a  short  time.  Strange  to  say, 
there  is  a  good,  pure-water  spring  at  the  southeastern  end  of 
these  hills,  while  every  other  water  running  from  the  hills,  after 
rains,  is  so  saturated  with  gypsum  that  it  is  entirely  unfit  for  any 
use.  No  particle  of  any  kind  of  humus  (soil)  is  on  these  hills. 

Wine  Making. 

Dona  Ana  is  rapidly  acquiring  a  reputation  for  its  vintage. 
The  vineyards  yield  from  1,300  to  1,500  gallons  of  wine  per 
acre.  The  basis  in  the  best  wineries  is  to  estimate  that  15 
pounds  of  grapes  will  yield  one  gallon  of  wine  and  one  pint  of 
the  finest  brandy.  No  addition  of  any  kind  is  made  to  the 
natural  juices  of  the  grape,  and  the  purchaser  can  be  assured 
of  an  absolutely  pure  article.  It  is  very  fine  in  flavor.  All  that 
is  necessary  to  make  these  vineyards  rival  the  famous  wines  of 
France  and  Germany  is  age.  A  five  year  old  wine  from  this 
section  is  unrivaled  for  body  and  flavor. 

The  Rio  Grande  Land  Company, 

of  which  Mr.  W.  T.  Oliver,  of  Las  Cruces,  is  manager,  offers 
splendid  opportunities  for  investment  or  home  building.  About 
0,000  acres  are  for  sale  at  Mesilla  Park  and  other  locations 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  243 

around  Las  Cruces  in  plats  from  ten  acres  up.  Ten  acres  are 
enough  for  any  man  to  begin  on  and  the  land  sells  at  from  $20 
to  $50  per  acre.  The  reader  of  these  pages  can  do  no  bet- 
ter than  to  write  to  Mr.  Oliver  for  information.  The  settler  in 
Dona  Ana  county  will  find  a  salubrious  climate  and  a  beautiful 
and  prosperous  home.  The  future  opportunities  for  develop- 
ment are  so  great  that  it  is  fully  anticipated  that  the  population 
will  more  than  double  in  the  next  five  years. 

This  company,  a  sub-corporation  of  the  great  and  progressive 
Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railroad,  deserves  the  utmost  praise, 
not  only  for  its  energy  displayed  and  good  works  built,  but  for  the 
spirit  of  fairness  that  has  animated  its  actions.  It  has  published 
some  of  the  best  literature  on  the  subject  of  irrigation  in  New 
Mexico  and  has  not  confined  its  praise  solely  to  its  own  lands  but 
has  given  due  commendation  to  every  enterprise  in  the  Territory. 
This  certainly  is  a  unique  means  of  advertising  and  was  only 
prompted  by  the  fact  that  this  company  has  some  of  the  best 
land  in  New  Mexico  and  knows  that  it  cannot  suffer  by  com- 
parison with  any  other  irrigated  farms. 


THE  PECOS  VALLEY. 


The  Development  and  Prospects  of  Eddy 
and  Chaves  Counties. 


The  material  interests  of  Eddy  and  Chaves  counties  are  so 
interwoven  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  consider  them  sepa- 
rately. They  represent  the  development,  not  of  civic  divisions, 
but  of  a  region.  Therefore  they  have  been  combined  under  one 
head. 

Physical  Aspects. 

The  valley  is  an  immense  trough,  deeply  eroded  by  the  Pecos 
river,  between  the  Llano  Estacado,  or  Staked  Plain,  on  the  east 
and  the  central  ranges  of  New  Mexico.  It  runs  parallel  with 
the  Bio  Grande  valley  throughout  its  course.  The  dividing 
range  at  the  Santa  Fe  mountains  towers  to  a  height  of  over 
12,000  feet.  Here  the  Pecos  has  its  head,  flowing  eastwardly 
and  taking  through  a  net-work  of  creeks  the  great  rain  and  snow 
fall  of  this  high  area.  It  pursues  its  course  almost  up  to  the 
wall  of  the  Staked  Plain,  and  from  its  drainage  the  river  as  it 
turns  south  takes  up  another  dozen  or  so  small  tributaries. 
Below  its  most  northern  spur  the  Llano  Estacado  is  dry,  and 
the  river  receives  no  further  moisture  from  that  source.  On 
the  west,  however,  the  eastern  drainage  of  the  inter- Bio  Grande- 
Pecos  divide  augments  its  volume  with  the  waters  of  a  great 
many  streams.  It  drains  an  area  of  over  30,000  square  miles. 
In  length  the  valley  is  over  350  miles,  while  it  varies  in  width 
from  twenty  to  fifty  miles. 

Geologically  its  soil  is  part  of  the  immense  area  known  as 
the  Red  Beds,  which  in  eastern  New  Mexico,  Indian  Territory 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  245 

and  western  Texas  cover  an  area  of  more  than  100,000  square 
miles. 

Prof.  Robert  T.  Hill,  reporting  on  this  region  to  the  U.  S. 
Agricultural  Department,  says: 

"To  one  accustomed  to  the  green  clad  landscape  of  the  East 
or  its  sombre  colored  formations  the  vast  landscapes  and  bril- 
liant colors  of  the  Hed  Beds  are  striking,  especially  if  seen  in 
some  bold  cliff  for  scores  of  miles.  Glaring  vermillion  or  deep 
brown  chocol'ate  sometimes  prevails,  varied  only  here  and  there 
by  a  snow-white  bed  of  gypsum.  *  *  *  Along  the  eastern 
escarpment  of  the  Llano  Estacado  there  are  beautiful  bluffs  of 
these  vermillion  beds  with  an  occasional  butte  or  mesa." 

The  Beginning. 

Ten  years  ago  this  was  a  practically  unknown  country.  The 
early  Spanish-Mexican  settlers  had  explored  it  but  little,  and 
there  are  no  land  grants  within  its  area  to  impede  modern  prog- 
ress with  their  unsettled  titles.  Cabeza  de  Baca,  the  earliest 
Caucasian  explorer,  describes  the  Pecos  as  "a  great  river  coming 
from  the  north,''  and  little  more  was  known  of  it  up  to  the  lime 
named,  except  as  is  to  be  gleaned  from  military  reports,  and 
that  little  is  buried  in  much  extrinsic  matter. 

In  1888,  the  New  Mexican,  published  at  Santa  Fe",  commis- 
sioned Mr.  Charles  W.  Greene  to  examine  the  resources  of  what 
is  now  the  counties  of  Chaves  and  Eddy  as  special  correspond- 
ent. He  found  the  country  occupied  by  vast  herds  of  cattle 
owned  by  the  Eddy  Bros.,  the  Chisums,  Leas,  Poe,  Milne,  Halls 
and  others.  Mr.  C.  B.  Eddy  had  long  seen  the  surprising  ex- 
cellence of  this  country  as  an  agricultural  region,  and  had  even 
then  begun  to  take  out  water  in  a  series  of  ditches  on  the  La- 
guna  Vista.  Mr.  Eddy  and  Mr.  Greene  both  understood  the 
methods  and  necessities  of  an  irrigated  country.  An  organiza- 
tion was  at  once  begun.  Mr.  Greene  left  journalism  to  promote 
the  gigantic  undertaking.  A  company  consisting  of  C.  B.  Eddy, 
C.  W.  Greene  and  half  a  dozen  Chicago  capitalists  was  first 
organized,  and  a  good  deal  of  the  preliminary  work  was  done 
by  this  organization. 


24f>  NEW  MEXICO. 


Later  on,  through  the  efforts  of  .Mr.  C.  B.  Eddy,  there  came 
a  reorganization  and  Mr.  J.  J.  Hagernian,  the  Colorado  Springs 
capitalist  and  builder  of  the  Colorado  Midland  railroad,  be- 
came interested. 

The  large  capital  under  his  influence  and  command  has  been 
poured  out  and  the  result  is  that  by  an. expenditure  of  $3,000,- 
000  this  vast  empire  with  its  water  rights  and  latent  wealth  has 
been  developed  into  a  world  renowned  agricultural  region,  to 
which  are  flocking  colonists  from  every  nation. 

The  Bureau  of  Immigration  has  always  fostered  the  advance- 
ment and  growth  of  this  section  and  now  seeks  to  describe  what 
was,  is  and  will  be  the  Great  Pecos  Valley. 

Progress  of  this  Stupendous  Work. 

The  counties  of  Eddy  and  Chaves  no  longer  belong  to  the 
has-beens,  but  are  among  the  most  pushing  and  vigorous  com- 
munities in  the  southwest.  The  Pecos  Irrigation  &  Improve- 
ment Company,  with  its  kindred  corporations,  found  what  is 
now  Eddy  and  Chaves  counties  five  years  ago  merely  a  prom- 
ising wilderness.  The  native  grasses,  through  which  over  300,- 
000  cattle  roamed,  were  the  only  signs  of  its  wonderful  fertil- 
ity; but  there  was  the  water  flowing  to  waste,  and  engineers 
could  accomplish  the  rest. 

Up  to  date  the  completed  improvements  consist  of  1,200 
miles  of  irrigating  canals  and  main  ditches,  200,000  acres  of 
laud  reclaimed  and  under  ditch,  50,000  acres  settled  by  intel- 
ligent farmers,  20,000  acres  actually  cultivated. 

One  hundred  miles  of  railroad  have  been  built  and  are  in  op- 
eration; also  175  miles  of  telegraph. 

Two  counties,  Chaves  and  Eddy,  have  been  created,  contain- 
ing between  9,000  and  10,000  thrifty,  energetic  and  live  peo- 
ple. * 

The  foundation  of  the  town  of  Eddy,  with  2, 500  inhabitants, 
newspapers,  schools  and  churches;  the  rapid  development  of 
Eoswell  to  a  town  of  1,200  people;  the  foundation  of  half  a 
dozen  smaller  towns,  with  well  selected  and  laid  out  sites; 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  247 


the  construction  of  a  railroad  100  miles  long,  and  which  is  pro- 
jected and  building  to  a  junction  with  the  Santa  Fe"  railroad, 
all  of  which  will  run  through  the  heart  of  a  developed  country ; 
the  planting  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  shade  trees;  the  knit- 
ting together  of  the  community  by  175  miles  of  telegraph  and 
100  miles  of  telephone  lines,  are  efforts  of  corporate  manage- 
ment done  with  wise  prevision  to  further  the  comfort  of  actual 
settlers  and  induce  the  immigration  of  others. 

The  farmers  and  settlers  themselves  have  not  been  backward. 
Hundreds  of  beautiful  farm  homesteads  have  been  erected. 
With  the  use  of  telegraph  and  telephone  the  isolation  of  farm 
life  has  disappeared.  Farmers'  clubs  and  social  organizations 
are  general. 

Two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  fruit  trees  were  planted  in 
1892.  Over  300,000  were  set  out  during  1893.  The  fact  that 
nursery  men  say  that  the  Pecos  valley  is  one  of  their  best  and 
most  reliable  markets  is  a  significant  encomium  for  a  new  com- 
munity. 

Two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  have  been  expended 
in  three  private  improvements  in  the  suburbs  of  the  town  of 
Eddy  alone.  As  much  more  has  been  laid  out  on  large  model 
farms.  Eight  million  feet  of  lumber  have  been  consumed  in 
house  building.  On  January  1,  1894,  there  were  $200,000 
worth  of  improved  live  stock  in  the  valley.  There  are  three 
model  stud  farms. 

The  above  condensed  facts  are  purposely  stated  out  of  the 
regular  order  to  enforce  the  reader's  attention.  They  represent 
the  salient  features  of  a  marvelous  development  in  which  men 
of  brains  and  capital  have  fixed  their  faith.  They  also  repre- 
sent important  reasons  and  inducements  for  energetic  young  men 
starting  out  in  life  to  cast  their  lots  with  a  community  of  go- 
ahead  people. 

The  System  of  Irrigation. 

In  order  that  the  development  above  outlined  may  be  under- 
stood, the  reader's  attention  is  requested  to  the  consideration  of 
the  local  system  of  irrigation.  It  is  the  largest  on  the  conti- 


248  NEW  MEXICO. 


neiit  and  in  its  plan  one  of  the  most  perfect  in  the  world.  The 
irrigable  area  of  this  great  valley  begins  a  short  distance  above 
Roswell.  It  stretches  thence  south  to  below  the  Texas  line  a 
distance  of  about  170  miles.  Low  limestone  ridges  Hank  the 
Pecos  throughout  this  part  of  its  course.  Sometimes  they 
stretch  away  for  a  distance  of  forty  miles,  leaving  wide  level 
mesas,  easily  commanded  by  water.  At  other  points  they  con 
verge  and  crowd  the  streams  in  narrow  gorges,  50,  80  or  100 
feet  high.  Behind  the  gorges  usually  lie  ideal  sites  for  reser- 
voirs. Under  one  general  plan  four  great  systems  of  canals  and 
reservoirs  have  been  laid  out.  They  command  the  entire  irri- 
gable area  of  the  valley  just  described. 

The  Northern  Canal. 

Beginning  on  the  Rio  Hondo,  about  five  miles  east  of  Ros- 
well,  the  northern  canal  takes  its  water.  This  system  commands 
the  country  down  to  Seven  Rivers.  The  canal  is  thirty  feet 
wide  on  bottom,  six  feet  deep,  and  has  a  gentle  fall  of  one  foot 
per  mile.  It  is  over  thirty -five  miles  long  and  now  waters 
60,000  acres.  It  will  be  so  extended  as  to  cover  100,000  acres 
more.  At  the  intake  of  the  canal  the  water  is  raised  fifteen  feet 
by  means  of  a  heavy  timber  dam  well  founded  on  closely  driven 
piles.  It  will  carry  a  maximum  amount  of  561  feet  per  second, 
or  ample  water  for  100,000  acres.  The  natural  flow  is  sufficient 
in  the  growing  months  to  irrigate  the  land  served  with  water, 
but  in  order  that  no  dearth  shall  be  suffered  in  times  of  ex- 
ceeding drought,  a  reservoir  is  now  beiug  constructed  at  a  favor- 
able point  to  feed  this  canal.  Its  dam  is  2,850  feet  long,  thirty- 
five  feet  high,  slopes  three  and  one-half  to  one  on  the  face  and 
two  to  one  on  back,  and  the  reservoir  has  a  capacity  of  over 
2,000,000,000  cubic  feet.  All  the  waste  water  will  therefore  be 
stored,  and  the  area  served  by  the  canal  will  be  amply  supplied 
with  water. 

The  Southern  Canal. 

The  next  system  in  order  is  known  as  the  southern  canal, 
which  starts  from  a  reservoir  six  miles  above  Eddy.  It  is  forty- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  249 

five  feet  wide  on  bottom,  with  a  side  slope  of  one  and  a  half  to 
one,  carries  seven  feet  of  water,  and  has  a  maximum  discharge 
of  1,320  cubic  feet  per  second.  Three  and  two-tenths  miles  from 
its  head  it  divides  into  two  branches,  the  southern  of  which 
crosses  the  Pecos  by  means  of  a  terre-pleiii  or  dyke,  2,000  feet 
long  and  sixteen  feet  high,  and  a  splendid  flume.  It  also  crosses 
the  Black  river  by  another  flume,  1,040  feet  long  and  sixteen 
feet  high,  carrying  five  feet  of  water.  It  is  now  constructed  for 
forty  miles.  The  other  canal,  known  as  the  east  side  canal,  has 
a  total  length  of  nineteen  and  three- tenths  miles. 

The  Immense  Reservoirs. 

The  reservoirs  from  which  this  canal  will  be  fed  with  water 
are  splendid  examples  of  wise  location  and  good  construction. 
Water  is  taken  from  reservoir  No.  2,  as  it  is  known,  through  a 
gate  cut  out  of  live  rock.  The  storage  is  1,000,000,000  cubic 
feet  of  water,  and  submerges  1,032  acres  of  laud.  This  is  again 
supplemented  by  the  largest  single  storage  basin  on  the  conti- 
nent. Its  dimensions,  capacity  and  description,  according  to  the 
engineers'  figures,  are  as  follows: 

NO.   1  —  SEVEN    RIVERS,  N.   M. 

Kt'ct. 

Length  of  dam 1,680 

Greatest  width  at  base 30(5 

Crown  of  rock  dam 74 

Crown  of  earth  dam 6 

Greatest  height 52 

Rock  dam,  back  slope 1%  to  1 

Rock  dam,  front  slope ,  . . .' 1^  to  1 

Earth  face,  slope 3V£  to  1 

Capacity,  cubic  feet 6,000,000,000 

Submerged  area,  acres 8,100 

This  reservoir  will  turn  its  water  as  needed  into  the  Pecos 
river  to  be  taken  up  and  distributed  from  reservoir  No.  2  by 
the  southern  system  just  described.  The  whole  system  will  serve 
when  completed  200,000  acres. 

Intermediately  between  these  will  be  another  reservoir,  known 
as  No.  3,  formed  in  a  basin  similar  to  the  Seven  Rivers  reser- 
voir, which  will  store  3,500,000,000  cubic  feet.  The  construc- 
tion of  its  dam  will  be  similar  to  that  at  Seven  Rivers.  In  fact 


250  NEW  MEXICO. 


the  general  features  of  that  dam  are  commou  to  all  others.   Mr. 
Louis  D.  Blauvelt  is  the  engineer  in  charge. 

The  southern  system  as  projected  and  described,  when  fully 
complete,  will  have  10,300,000,000  cubic  feet  of  stored  water  to 
serve  its  needs.  This  storage  alone  is  more  than  sufficient  to 
irrigate  200,000  acres. 

The  Hagerman  System. 

The  third  system  of  canals,  known  as  the  Hagerman  system, 
is  on  the  east  side  of  the  Pecos  and  has  its  dam  head  about 
fifteen  miles  below  Eddy.  It  has  a  reservoir  on  its  course 
a  mile  and  a  half  long  by  one-half  mile  wide  with  an  average 
depth  of  twenty-five  feet.  This  canal  is  twenty  feet  wide  and 
ten  miles  long.  It  will  be  extended  to  a  total  of  twenty-five 
miles. 

The  Highland  canal,  or  the  fourth  system,  is  projected  to  be 
built  south  of  the  territorial  line  and  water  land  in  Texas.  It 
will  have  the  same  cross  section  dimensions  as  the  Hondo  canal ; 
will  carry  the  same  amount  of  water,  561  cubic  feet  per  second. 
Its  length  will  be  forty -two  miles. 

The  Supply  of  Stored  Waters. 

A  'summary  of  the  above  information  will  show  that  there 
have  been  constructed  up  to  date: 

Mi  IPS. 

Total  length  main  canals 121 

Necessary  main  laterals 273 

Farm  or  sub-laterals 900 

Total 1,294 

Cubic  feet. 

Capacity  of  completed  reservoirs 7,000,000,000 

Capacity  of  projected  reservoirs 6,000,000.000 


Total  storage 13,000.000,000 

Sources  of  Supply. 

A  peculiarity  of  the  Pecos  will  be  somewhat  understood  by 
a  brief  review  of  its  sources  of  supply.  Besides  carrying  off 
the  surface  drainage  of  its  immense  basin,  it  is  a  spring  fed 
river.  Its  subterranean  waters  are  an  extremely  important  factor 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  251 

in  the  economy  of  the  irrigation  of  the  Pecos  valley.  Only  a 
few  of  its  numerous  tributaries  carry  water  in  sight  into  its 
channel.  Among  the  most  important  are  the  Rio  Hondo,  Spring, 
Peiiasco  and  Black  rivers.  At  the  foot  of  the  dam  six  miles 
above  Eddy  the  river  bed  is  dry.  Within  fifty  yards,  however, 
large  springs  burst  out  on  the  banks  and  within  the  river  bed, 
and  within  a  space  of  200  yards  the  river  is  running  a  wide, 
good  stream  of  water.  At  Eddy,  six  miles  down,  the  United 
States  Agricultural  Department  caused  this  spring  water  to  be 
measured.  There  was  no  water  passing  the  dam,  yet  the  flow 
''measured  over  300  cubic  feet  of  water  per  second  that  had 
come  into  the  river  below  the  dam  from  springs  in  the  bottom 
and  along  its  sides"  (see  page  14,  part  2,  Senate  executive  doc- 
ument No.  41,  1st  session,  52d  Congress).  When  unimpeded  by 
dams  the  perennial  flow  of  spring  water  in  the  Pecos  at  Eddy 
is  1,000  cubic  feet  per  second;  or  sufficient,  according  to  the 
duty  of  water  estimated  at  Greeley,  Colorado,  to  irrigate  160,- 
000  acres  of  land.  The  local  ratio  is,  however,  much  higher, 
and  would  range  over  200,000  acres. 

The  examination  made  by  the  United  States  Agricultural 
Department,  the  report  of  which  is  above  quoted,  was  con- 
ducted by  Col.  Edwin  S.  Nettleton,  under  Col.  Eichard  J.  Hin- 
ton,  special  agent.  Liberty  is  taken  to  use  much  of  the  matter 
gathered  therein. 

The  Mountains  Furnish  Water. 

The  ranges  in  which  the  principal  tributary  streams  rise  are 
timber  covered,  even  the  Guadalupe  range.  Below  the  Santa 
Fe"  range  the  Sierra  Blanca  range  rises  above  timber  line,  and 
is  covered  with  snow  from  November  until  June.  The  Capitan 
and  Sacramento  ranges  are  about  9,000  feet  and  the  Guadalupe 
7,000  in  altitude.  The  waters  from  these  ranges  sink  soon  after 
entering  the  valley.  Evidences  are  plentiful  of  a  lost  river  flow- 
ing through  a  valley  lying  between  these  mountains  and  the 
San  Andres  range.  At  present  there  is  no  running  water  in 
this  valley,  but  a  good  deal  flows  into  it  and  rises  in  springs. 


252  NEW  MEXICO. 


It  also  supplies  the  Lanoria  mesa  near  El  Paso  with  its  water. 
On  the  Pecos  side  the  water  reappears  at  various  points,  break- 
ing into  the  river  through  fissures  in  the  conglomerate  and 
limestone  rocks  that  underlie  the  whole  valley.  Under  this 
again  is  a  bed  of  gravel  and  boulders  imbedded  in  a  sand  and 
limestone  mortar.  In  this  at  contact  with  the  limestone  the 
springs  are  found.  These  .strata  generally  dip  toward  the  river 
and  their  upturned  angles  offer  good  opportunities  for  con- 
ducting subterranean  water  to  it. 

Take  Black  river,  a  large  tributary  to  the  Pecos,  which  flows 
from  the  southern  end  of  Guadalupe  range.  It  is  nothing  but 
a  storm  channel,  but  four  large  springs  discharge  into  it.  Blue 
spring,  the  largest,  has  a  discharge  of  seventeen  cubic  feet  per 
second.  The  other  three  aggregate  over  fifteen  feet.  This  water 
and  the  further  large  amount  that  seeps  in  unnoticed  is  nothing 
but  the  drainage  of  the  Guadalupes  reappearing. 

Near  Eoswell  again  are  four  large  springs  that  form  the 
North  and  South  Spring  rivers.  These  burst  up  on  the  open 
prairie  and  pour  their  waters  into  the  Hondo  just  above  the 
proposed  dam  site.  The  North  Spring  river  has  a  measured 
volume  of  105  cubic  feet  per  second.  It  is  the  same  with  the 
North  and  South  Berendas. 

Besides  these  springs  named  there  are  hundreds  of  others. 
Within  three  miles  of  Eddy  there  is  one  that  runs  20,000,000 
gallons  of  water  daily.  Large  bodies  of  still  water  are  also 
found;  deep,  almost  bottomless  pits,  called  China  holes,  filled 
with  water,  also  abound.  These  often  stand  out  alone  on  the 
otherwise  dry  prairie. 

It  is  the  ingenious  and  systematic  saving  and  distributing  of 
this  water  that  has  given  the  Pecos  Irrigation  &  Improvement 
Company  command  of  so  large  an  amount  of  land. 

General  Water  Resources. 

The  water  resources  may  be  summed  up  as  follows: 
Average  annual  rainfall  12^  inches.     Even  if  all  this  fell  in 
the  growing  and  ripening   months  it  would  not  be  sufficient  to 


' 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  253 


mature  ordinary  crops;  therefore  the  other  sources  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  considered.      They  are: 

Average  flow  of  surface  water  in  the  Pecos,  500  cubic  feet 
per  second. 

Average  known  flow  from  springs  throughout  the  irrigable 
portion  of  the  Pecos  valley,  over  1,200  cubic  feet  per  second. 

This  is  a  total  of  1,700  cubic  feet  per  second,  or  enough  to 
irrigate  340,000  acres  of  land  without  storage. 

At  this  point  the  writer  wishes  to  say  responsibly  that  no 
other  region  in  the  United  States,  with  the  possible  exception 
of  the  Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus  valleys  of  central  California, 
and  San  Juan  county,  New  Mexico,  can  show  equal  water  re- 
sources. With  the  storage,  noted  above,  of  13,000,000,000  cubic 
feet  there  is  nothing  at  all  approaching  it  in  this  country,  and 
only  the  gigantic  systems  along  the  Ganges  and  Nile  surpass 
the  works  of  the  Pecos  Irrigation  &  Improvement  Company  for 
economy,  capacity  or  skillful  engineering.  Kelatively  speak- 
ing, things  are  equal.  The  writer  knows  whereof  he  speaks, 
having  personally  examined  all  of  the  large  irrigation  works 
and  systems  of  the  country. 

It  may  be  said  further  that  this  does  not  include  all  the 
sources  of  water  supply  proper  to  the  Pecos  valley.  In  order 
to  do  so  a  discussion  of  too  technical  a  character  to  fit  the  pres- 
ent writing  would  have  to  be  entered  on.  Sufficient  has  been 
shown,  however,  to  bear  out  the  claims  made. 

The  Character  and  Ingredients  of  the  Water. 

The  next  question  to  be  considered  is  the  character  of  this 
water  supply  and  its  adaptability  to  agriculture.  Malicious 
persons  have  steadily  asserted  that  crops  could  not  be  success- 
fully and  continuously  grown  in  Eddy  and  Chaves  counties  be- 
cause of  the  predomination  of  alkali  in  the  Pecos  water. 

It  would  be  sufficient  answer  to  these  statements  to  cite  the 
progress  and  development  up  to  date.  However,  as  above  re- 
ports, made  and  asserted  as  of  absolute  knowledge  by  interested 


254  NEW  MEXICO. 


persons,  are  liable  to  do  harm,  a  fuller  discussion  of  this  subject 
follows: 

In  the  first  place  the  writer  knows  alkali  when  lie  sees  it,  and 
he  has  seen  more  in  almost  every  irrigating  region  in  the  West 
than  on  the  Pecos. 

There  is  more  alkali  on  a  section  of  laud  around  Greeley, 
Colorado,  than  in  the  whole  irrigable  area  of  the  Pecos. 

A  better  authority,  however,  speaking  on  this  subject,  says 
officially  to  the  United  States  Agricultural  Department,  after 
special  examination,  as  follows: 

"The  escarpment  of  the  Llano  Estacado  in  Texas  and  New 
Mexico  affords  superb  displays  of  these  brilliantly  colored  strata, 
often  alternating  with  bands  of  pure  white,  saccharoidal  gypsum. 

"The  beds  of  gypsum  occur  over  a  great  area  and  its  quantity 
is  inexhaustible.  *  *  *  It  is  present  in  Kansas,  New  Mex- 
ico (the  Pecos  valley),  Oklahoma  and  Texas  in  great  abun- 
dance, and  is  the  most  important  economic  feature  in  the  whole 
Bed  Beds  region,  in  that  its  presence  is  the  basis  of  the  fertility 
of  the  Red  Beds,  and  it  is  readily  soluble  in  water  and  usually 
accompanied  by  it.  The  water  is  so  often  strongly  impregnated 
that  the  term  'gyp  water'  is  common  throughout  the  region. 
Until  recently  unappreciated,  it  is  rapidly  becoming  an  economic 
feature.  *  *  *  In  eastern  Mexico  (the  Pecos  valley)  it  is 
often  soft  like  pulverulent  flour  and  is  known  as  'yeso.'  This 
yeso  is  often  mistaken  for  the  injurious  'alkali,'  when  in  fact  it 
is  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  Miles  and  miles  of  this  yeso  can  be 
seen  in  the  Pecos  valley."  See  page  130,  part  3,  executive 
document  41,  1st  session,  52d  Congress,  report  of  B.  T.  Hill. 

The  above  is  the  official  opinion  of  one  of  the  foremost  geol- 
ogists of  the  world,  and  the  one  best  acquainted  with  the  re- 
gion of  which  he  speaks.  It  has  been  adopted  and  endorsed  by 
the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  and  published  as 
above  in  their  official  reports. 

Col.  Bichard  J.  Hinton,  late  special  irrigation  agent  of  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  the.  foremost  expert 
on  the  economic  phases  of  irrigation,  and  who  has  frequently 
examined  the  Pecos  valley,  holds  the  same  view,  and  has  often 
expressed  it  officially  and  individually. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


Analysis  of  the  Pecos  Water. 

A  chemical  analysis  of  a  gallon  of  Pecos  water  showed: 
Chloride  of  calcium  and  sodium  69.23  grains;  sulphate  of  soda 
(glauber  salts)  arid  sulphate  of  magnesium  (epsom  salt)  3lU)2 
grains;  carbonate  of  lime  39  grains;  sulphate  of  lime  30  grains. 

This  was  made  by  the  eminent  chemist,  Prof.  Precht.  He 
goes  on  to  say: 

"This  analysis  is  also  of  great  interest  from  an  agricultural 
standpoint,  since  a  careful  computation  shows  that  on  every 
acre  of  land  irrigated  with  Pecos  river  water  over  two  tons  of 
solids  are  deposited  in  each  year,  and  these  are  the  same  class 
of  phosphates  and  carbonates  that  many  eastern  farmers  an- 
nually buy  and  spread  on  their  land  at  a  great  cost  of  money 
and  labor.  It  will  likewise  be  seen  that  these  waters  must  be 
of  great  value  for  stock,  as  well  as  human  beings,  since  they 
possess  the  elements  that  are  so  essential  for  the  making  up  of 
bone,  blood  and  muscular  tissues." 

The  chemical  elements  that  most  generally  enter  into  the 
composition  of  plants  are  chlorine,  iron,  lime,  magnesia,  potash 
and  some  compound  of  nitrogen.  The  last  is  probably  the  most 
important  element.  This,  however,  is  in  largest  degree  ab- 
sorbed from  the  air.  At  least  such  is  the  dictum  of  Herve 
Magnus  and  Charpeutier  di  Cosigni,  the  foremost  French  agri- 
cultural chemists.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  Pecos  water  fur- 
nishes in  large  degree  all  the  essential  salts,  but  that  the  anal- 
ysis shows  an  absolute  absence  of  alkali. 

Prof.  Louis  Hilgard,  of  Berkely  University,  also  endorses  the 
Pecos  soil  and  water  as  exceptionally  adaptable  to  irrigation  and 
raising  crops  thereby. 

The  above  are  a  few  of  the  many  opinions  that  could  be  cited 
on  this  subject.  They  are  of  the  highest  authority,  and  their 
weight  should  overburden  the  malicious  slanders  that  are  cur- 
rent in  some  quarters.  Surely  these  gentlemen  know  their 
business  and  what  is  necessary  to  plant  life. 

There  is  only  one  thing  further  to  be  said.  It  is  a  well 
known  fact  that  gypsum,  or  as  it  is  sometimes  called  "land 
plaster,'1  is  a  universal  antidote  for  alkali.  How  then  could  it 


250  NEW  MEXICO. 


exist  on  land  one  of  whose  principal  elements  is  the   fertilizing 
gypsum  ? 

A  Delightful  Climate. 

The  climate  of  the  Pecos  valley  is  unsurpassed  in  winter,  and 
in  summer  the  pure,  dry,  ozone  burdened  air  tempers  the  heat. 

The  general  altitude  ranges  from  3,000  to  4,000  feet.  At 
Eddy,  in  the  center  of  the  valley,  it  is  3,250  feet.  This  height, 
combined  with  the  bracing  air  ^from  the  surrounding  mountain 
ranges,  makes  the  valley  a  peculiarly  good  sanitarium.  The 
thermometer  rarely  falls  below  15  above  zero  in  winter  and  al- 
though it  rises  to  100  degrees  in  summer  it  is  not  damp  heat 
and  therefore  perfectly  tolerable  and  not  oppressive. 

Last  year  the  coldest  weather  in  the  Pecos  valley  was  23  de- 
grees above  zero.  During  the  winter  before  last,  on  January 
19,  1892,  the  lowest  degree  of  cold  registered  was  7  above  zero. 
At  that  date  a  terrible  blizzard  raged  over  the  country  and  the 
cold  throughout  northern  New  Mexico  was  from  10  to  20  de- 
grees below  zero  and  in  Colorado  it  was  f  rom  40  to  50  degrees 
below.  Last  year  hardy  native  vegetables  were  on  the  Eddy 
and  Roswell  markets  during  each  month  of  the  year.  With  this 
genial  climate  and  rich  soil  it  is  not  after  all  so  wonderful  that 
Eddy  and  Chaves  counties  have  shown  such  marked  development. 
Under  these  genial  influences  trees  and  fruits  attain  a  beauty 
and  fragrance  unsurpassed  and  almost  unknown  elsewhere,  and 
their  flavor  is  such  as  can  only  be  imparted  on  a  good  gypsum 
soil  under  a  warm,  brilliant  sunshine. 

The  saccharine  elements  are  best  brought  out  under  these 
influences.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  sugar  beets  raised  in 
this  valley  show  an  average  of  75.9  per  cent  of  purity:  and  this 
under  the  rigid  official  analysis  of  Prof.  Wiley,  chemist  of  the 
United  States  Agricultural  Department  (see  .bulletin  No.  30, 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  1S92,  page  ID).  All 
fruits  do  proportionately  well.  Six  year  old  apple  trees  at  Ros- 
welr  yield  1,000  to  1,800  pounds  of  fruit  each  year;  pears  three 
to  four  bushels;  plums  four  to  six  bushels;  peaches  400  to  000 
pounds.  On  the  Hagerman  farm,  near  Eddy,  three  almond  trees 


BY    THE    BUHEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION.  257 

bore  and  matured  over  100  pounds  of  nuts  per  tree.  Add  to 
this  the  fact  that  the  Pecos  water  is  equal  to  the  famous  springs 
of  Kissingeii  and  Epsom,  that  all  stomachic  troubles  are  cor- 
rected and  relieved  by  this  water,  and  there  is  no  other  climate 
in  the  United  States  offering  equal  advantages. 

There  are,  however,  two  crops  in  which  the  Pecos  valley 
offers  exceptional  advai.tages  to  the  farmer.  They  are  sugar 
beets  and  cafia-agria.  Their  culture  is  simple,  and,  although 
somewhat  new  to  the  general  American  farmer,  presents  oppor- 
tunities of  profit  that  quickly  command  attention  when  brought 
to  notice. 

Cana-agria. 

Cana-agria  is  a  species  of  sour  dock  that  grows  wild  even 
on  the  dryest  mesas  or  table  lands.  On  the  high  tongue  of  land 
at  the  junction  of  the  Pecos  and  Black  rivers  the  writer  has 
seen  tons  of  it  dessicating  in  the  dry  air. '  No  water  except  the 
scanty  rainfall  could  reach  it.  It  contains  so  large  a  percentage 
of  tannic  acid  that  three  tons  dried  will  yield  one  ton  of  extract. 
This  is  a  much  higher  average  than  the  best  oak  bark  is  cap- 
able of  yielding.  There  are  about  500  acres  of  this  root  now 
in  cultivation  around  Eddy.  There  is  probably  no  better  av- 
enue to  profit  for  a  new  farmer  than  raising  cafia-agria.  With 
ten  acres  of  an  eighty  acre  tract  devoted  to  its  culture  he  could 
pay  all  expenses  of  the  remainder  and  have  a  good  income  be- 
sides. There  is,  however,  no  reason  why  he  should  not  devote 
himself  entirely  to  cafia-agria  planting.  One  large  European 
firm  of  tanners  has  planted  320  acres  of  this  new  found  help 
to  it  near  Eddy. 

Sugar  Beets. 

Sugar  beets  were  first  introduced  to  notice  in  this  country  by 
Prof.  Wiley,  before  mentioned.  One  farmer  near  Eddy  raised 
beets  of  81.3  per  cent  of  purity.  These  were  not  forced  or  over- 
fed plants  but  the  average  of  his  crop.  Another  of  the  same 
place  has  raised  sixty-three  tons  of  this  sugar  maker  to  the  acre. 
The  cultivation  of  this  product  is  new  here,  but  when  it  is  con- 

33 


258  NEW  MEXICO. 


side  red  that  the  territorial  average  is  1^.4  per  cent  of  actual 
sugar  to  the  total  weight  of  the  beet,  it  will  be  seen  what  can 
be  clone  in  the  Pecos  country.  Experiment  will  develop  that 
two  tons  of  sugar  can  be  raised  to  the  acre. 

Sugar  beets  weighing  over  sixty  ounces  have  been  raised. 
The  best  weight,  however,  is  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  ounces. 
This  is  for  the  reason  that  the  beet  only  has  a  limited  amount 
of  territory  from  which  to  draw  its  saccharine  qualities;  after 
it  goes  above  the  weight  recommended  the  gain  is  only  in  pulp. 
An  acre  of  twenty  ounce  beets  will  yield  more  sugar  than  an 
acre  of  the  large  pulpy  ones.  The  former  will  go  as  high  as 
25  per  cent  of  sugar  solids.  The  latter  will  seldom  reach  over  12 
or  14.  The  farmer  proposing  this  culture  should  bear  this  in 
mind. 

A  beet  sugar  factory  will  shortly  be  erected  at  Eddy.  The 
company  has  made  all  arrangements  and  the  work  will  go  ahead. 

Irrigation  the  Best  Method  of  Cultivation. 

Eastern  farmers  sometimes  refuse  to  come  west  because  of 
the  curious  ideas  they  entertain  concerning  irrigation.  They 
assert  they  would  sooner  stay  in  a  country  "where  God  does 
the  irrigation."  If  they  paused  to  think,  they  would  soon  con- 
clude that  nothing  could  be  more  absurd.  Japan,  China,  Rus- 
sia and  English  Asia,  Africa,  Italy,  Austria,  France,  Spain, 
and  a  large  part  of  Germany  gain  their  food  from  irrigated 
farms.  It  is  the  method  of  proper  production  of  cereal  food. 

Three-fifths  of  the  lands  in  the  United  States  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  irrigated  to  raise  crops.  Irrigation  is  natural  and 
historic.  The^great  olden  cities  drew  their  supplies  from  irri- 
gated fields;  and  the  Aztecs  once  irrigated  the  western  country 
and  brought  it  to  a  high  degree  of  fertility. 

Prof.  W.  O.  Atwater  says:  "Not  the  natural  fertility  of  the 
soil  but  its  rational  culture  is  what  brings  the  largest,  the 
surest,  the  most  enduring  harvests." 

Let  us  examine  irrigation  in  the  light  of  this  dictum. 

Warmth,  light  and  soil,  although  essential,  are  not  sufficient 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  259 

to  raise  crops.  Water  is  the  most  essential.  Water  is  the 
medium  through  which  the  plant  nourishes  itself.  No  manu- 
facturer would  allow  the  prime  necessity  of  his  business  to 
depend  on  chance.  Why  then  should  the  farmer  allow  his 
product  to  depend  on  timely  showers  or  devastating  drought? 
Water  at  small  cost  can  be  controlled  absolutely,  and  fed  to 
growing  crops,  not  fortuitously,  but  at  the  exact  moment  when 
needed.  Another  advantage  of  the  irrigated  farm  is  the  wide 
range  of  culture  it  allows.  On  the  eastern  farm  the  owner  is 
practically  restricted  to  those  crops  that  suit  his  rainfall.  For 
some  very  valuable  plants  that  his  soil  would  raise  it  is  too  much, 
for  others  it  is  too  little.  This  is  not  so  with  the  irrigator. 
He  makes  his  climate.  He  puts  his  crops  in  the  ground  and 
depends  on  them  as  certainly  as  the  factory  owner  on  his  prod- 
uct. He  can  control  his  water  absolutely.  He  is  sure  of  sun- 
shine. He  knows  the  constituents  of  his  soil.  What  more 
can  be  demanded?  The  irrigator  is  not  a  hapless  farmer;  he 
is  a  manufacturer  of  food.  This,  because  he  goes  about  his  work 
in  a  rational  manner. 

There  is  another  way  to  consider  irrigation.  It  is  an  insur- 
ance of  the  crop.  No  eastern  farmer  would  hesitate  to  pay 
$1  or  $1.50  annually  per  acre  to  any  company  that  would  insure 
him  the  value  of  his  crop. 

Water  Rights  in  the  Pecos  Valley. 

A  perpetual  water  right  is  sold  by  the  Pecos  Irrigation  & 
Improvement  Company  at  $10  an  acre,  or  $400  for  a  forty  acre 
tract,  payable  in  ten  annual  installments  of  $1  each  per  acre, 
with  interest  at  6  per  cent  on  the  deferred  payments.  This 
water  right  must  also  be  considered  part  of  the  cost  of  the 
land.  Without  water  the  soil  is  useless.  Hence,  if  land  and 
water  cost  $35  an  acre,  and  that  land  will  produce  larger  and 
better  crops  than  an  eastern  farm,  why  should  any  one  hesitate 
about  coming  to  the  Pecos  valley  ? 

The  additional  annual  cost  for  service  of  water  is  $1.25  per 
acre. 


260  NEW  MEXICO. 


A  water  right  is  enough  water  to  cover  an  acre  of  land  twelve 
inches  deep  and  consists  of  42,560  cubic  feet  per  annum.  It 
is  amply  sufficient  to  mature  all  crops.  This  amount  of  water 
is  sometimes  called  an  acre  foot. 

Irrigation  as  a  Fertilizer. 

There  is  also  another  point  to  be  considered.  It  is  very  sel- 
dom, and  only  for  special  plants  or  experiments,  that  the  irri- 
gator  is  bothered  with  the  use  of  fertilizers  or  manures  on  his 
land.  The  water  does  all  that  for  him.  As  said  before,  the 
Pecos  water  used  in  the  amount  above  mentioned  annually  de- 
posits two  tons  of  the  finest  fertilizers  on  each  acre  of  land. 
This  alone  would  cost  an  eastern  farmer  more  dollars  than  his 
crop  generally  returns.  Fertilizers  deposited  in  this  warmer 
climate  also  do  the  most  good.  They  sink  right  to  the  spot 
needed,  are  taken  up  in  the  best  form  to  nourish  the  plants 
and  make  the  largest  growth.  The  irrigated  farm,  therefore, 
instead  of  growing  poorer  is  constantly  growing  better,  richer, 
and  more  mellow.  This  aspect  alone  should  be  sufficient  with 
the  intelligent  farmer  to  decide  against  the  obsolete  methods 
of  dry  farming  and  adopt  the  scientific  and  certain  ways  of  the 
irrigate  r. 

A  Great  Sanitarium. 

The  climate  of  Eddy  is  one  of  the  finest.  Wm.  Thornton 
Parker,  M.  D.,  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society, 
Boston  Gynaecological  Society,  etc.,  in  a  letter  to  the  Philadel- 
phia Times  and  Register,  says: 

"When  we  search  our  libraries,  and  the  columns  of  medical 
journals  of  this  and  other  countries,  we  find  that  the  health  re- 
sorts of  real  value  are  not  numerous,'  but  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  the  American  climate  is,  generally  speaking,  a  severe  one 
for  invalids,  we  have  this  great  western  health  section  as  a  win- 
ter resort  for  pulmonary  invalids,  unsurpassed  in  any  quarter 
of  the  globe. 

"I  desire,  in  this  connection,  to  call  special  attention  to  the 
Pecos  valley  of  New  Mexico  as  a  resort  for  pulmonary  diseases. 

"Some  few  years  ago  this  part  of  New  Mexico  was  known  as 
a  region  of  desert  land,  in  a  remote  portion  of  the  Territory, 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  261 


inhabited  by  desperadoes,  and  too  dangerous  for  investigation, 
except  by  large  and  well  armed  bodies  of  soldiers  or  by  hardy 
frontiersmen. 

"To-day  all  this  is  changed.  The  desperadoes  have  long  since 
been  driven  out,  a  beautiful  town  (Eddy)  has  been  built,  the 
land  is  being  reclaimed  by  a  superb  system  of  irrigation,  and 
the  desert  has  been  replaced  by  orchards,  vineyards  and  rich 
fields  of  nearly  every  kind  of  farm  produce.  Over  $3,000,000 
have  been  spent  by  men  of  wide  experience,  sound  judgment 
and  rare  business  ability.  An  extensive  settlement  of  sturdy 
farmers  has  come  forward  to  improve  the  land  and  open  up  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  valleys  in  the  Territory,  if  not  in  the  whole 
West, 

"Eddy  county  is  that  portion  of  the  Pecos  valley  which  I  wish 
particularly  to  mention.  It  is  in  the  extreme  southeastern  por- 
tion of  New  Mexico,  but  it  is  of  such  recent  organization  and 
growth  that  it  does  not  appear  on  any  map  published  prior  to 
1891.  It  embraces  within  its  boundaries  mountains,  hills,  plains, 
valleys  and  meadows,  streams,  rivulets,  springs,  and  the  swift 
flowing  Pecos  river.  It  includes  a  great  variety  of  trees,  shrub- 
bery and  wild  flowers  that  beautify  its  surface,  a  grand  climate 
and  a  soil  capable  of  producing  the  most  luxuriant  grains, 
grasses,  vegetables  and  fruits. 

"With  an  experience  on  the  frontier  covering  many  years, 
from  Minnesota  to  New  Mexico,  I  have  never  seen  or  heard  of 
a  new  town  so  handsomely  and  substantially  built,  so  beautiful 
and  so  orderly  as  Eddy,  the  county  seat.  No  saloons  are  al- 
lowed in  Eddy,  a  clause  in  all  deeds  prohibiting  the  sale  of 
liquor  on  the  premises. 

"With  regard  to  the  prerequisites  in  the  climate  cure,  mod- 
erate elevation,  dryness  of  atmosphere,  abundance  of  sunlight, 
gentleness  of  climate,  all  these  are  found  in  profusion  and  per- 
fection in  and  about  Eddy.  The  average  temperature  is  03 
degrees.  The  atmosphere  is  light,  dry,  highly  rarified  and  abso- 
lutely pure.  Its  tonic  and  remarkably  agreeable  character  is 
readily  realized  by  every  one  who  breathes  it ;  the  grand  influence 
of  the  invigorating  mountain  currents,  fresh  from  the  noble 
Guadalupes,  is  recognized  at  once.  For  325  days  of  the  year 
the  rays  of  the  sun  are  unobstructed — the  summer  days  are 
warm  and  the  nights  are  cool  and  refreshing.  In  fact,  this 
section  combines  every  climatic  requisite  of  altitude,  equable 


NEW  MEXICO. 


temperature,  absence  of  malaria,  and  abundance  of  ozone  and 
electricity. 

"We  have,  then,  in  this  beautiful  Pecos  valley,  a  section 
whose  history  is  so  remarkable  and  whose  climatic  advantages 
are  so  grand  and  so  genial  that  northern  and  eastern  physicians 
may  safely  send  their  patients  here,  not  only  for  the  one  genuine 
cure  for  consumption — the  climate  cure — but  for  the  cure  of  all 
throat  troubles,  catarrh,  rheumatism,  etc." 

Endorsements. 

Among  others  who  speak  highly  of  the  Pecos  valley  are  ex- 
Gov.  L.  Bradford  Prince,  Gov.  W.  T.  Thornton  and  the  late 
Jay  Gould.  Ex-Gov.  Prince  is  an  enthusiast.  He  says  officially : 

TERRITORY  OF  NEW  MEXICO,      ) 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
SANTA  FE,  N.  M.,  July  22,  1891.  \ 
To  Whom  it  May  Concern: 

From  recent  personal  observation  as  well  as  from  full  infor- 
mation, both  official  and  otherwise,  I  am  able  to  speak  in  the 
most  favorable  manner  of  the  Pecos  valley  as  a  field  for  immi- 
gration. The  valley  itself  presents  exceptional  advantages  in 
this  regard,  on  account  of  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  the  peculiar 
excellence  of  the  climate,  and  its  never-failing  supply  of  water, 
augmented  by  living  springs,  which  make  it  impossible  to  injure 
the  country  below  by  using  all  the  water  above.  The  companies 
who  control  the  property  and  its  development  are  composed  of 
gentlemen  of  high  standing,  large  resources  and  extraordinary 
energy,  who  are  anxious  in  every  way  to  make  the  settlement  of 
the  valley  a  success,  and  add  to  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of 
the  individuals  who  locate  there.  The  titles  are  all  direct  from 
the  United  States,  as  no  Spanish  or  Mexican  land  grants  exist 
in  that  part  of  New  Mexico,  and  are  therefore  perfect  and  un- 
disputed. L.  BRADFORD  PRINCE, 

Governor  of  New  Mexico. 

WHAT    JAY    GOULD    SAID. 

The  Pecos  also  enjoys  the  advantage  of  being  the  only  locality 
to  which  the  late  Jay  Gould  lent  the  weight  of  his  endorsement. 
His  letter  speaks  for  itself,  and  while  is  has  been  published  be- 
fore its  reproduction  is  not  amiss  here: 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  2(>8 


"After  passing  through  the  Pecos  valley  from  the  crossing  of 
the  Texas  &  Pacific  railroad  to  Eddy  I  am  impressed  with  the 
wonderful  richness  of  the  soil;  with  its  peculiar  adaptation  to 
irrigation,  and  with  an  ample  supply  of  water.  It  will  not  be 
long  before  it  becomes  one  of  the  richest  valleys  of  the  United 
States.  What  I  was  particularly  interested  in  is  the  effect  of 
the  dry,  pure  air  on  bronchial  troubles.  Speaking  from  personal 
experience,  there  is  no  better  region  than  this  for  persons  thus 
suffering.  The  effect  is  immediate  and  improvement  rapid." 

(Signed)     JAY  GOULD. 

COL.  NETTLETON'S  OPINION. 

Col.  Edwin  S.  Nettleton,  who  constructed  the  first  large  irri- 
gation ditch  in  the  United  States,  at  Greeley,  and  has  had  the 
widest  experience  in  irrigation,  in  an  official  report  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  Agriculture  says: 

"Owing  to  the  finest  climate,  permitting  the  raising  of  nearly 
all  of  the  products  that  can  be  grown  in  a  semi-tropical  climate, 
including  the  fruits  (excepting  the  citrus),  and  the  large  area 
and  Constant  water  supply,  the  Pecos  valley  will  be  the  largest 
and  one  of  the  richest,  if  not  the  richest,  and  best  cultivated 
valleys  in  New  Mexico.  The  irrigable  lands  are  being  rapidly 
taken  up  and  occupied  by  English  speaking  people,  a  large  per- 
centage of  whom  are  from  the  northern  and  eastern  States." 
Page  18,  part  2,  Irrigation  and  Cultivation  of  the  Soil  Thereby, 
Senate  executive  document  41,  1st  session  52d  Congress. 

In  a  recent  interview  published  in  the  Santa  Fe"  New  Mexi- 
can, Governor  W.  T.  Thornton  says: 

"I  spent  six  days  at  Eos  well  and  three  at  Eddy,  and  I  saw 
more  evidences  of  thrift,  progress  and  prosperity  in  the  Pecos 
valley  than  I  have  seen  in  all  my  travels,  either  in  New  Mexico 
or  the  rest  of  the  Union.  I  never  saw  thriftier  trees  and  trees 
so  full  of  fruit.  This  was  quite  a  surprise,  as  it  has  always  been 
claimed,  for  some  cause  or  other,  that  fruit  trees  would  not  grow 
in  the  Pecos  valley.  The  vineyards  are  also  in  splendid  con- 
dition." 

The  Shortest  Inter-ocean  Railroad. 

For  the  first  decade  of  its  existence  Eoswell,  then  the  only 
town  of  any  importance  in  this  section,  used  to  make  the  quaint 


Ni:w  MEXICO. 


boast  that  it  was  further  from  a  railroad  than  any  town  of  its 
size  in  the  United  States.  Even  up  to  the  last  days  of  1889  it 
enjoyed  this  distinction,  if  distinction  it  was,  being  reached  by 
a  stage  line  177  miles  long,  from  Pecos  City,  Texas.  Just  as 
soon,  however,  as  the  ditches  began  to  carry  water  to  the  fertile 
fields  the  management  began  to  lay  plans  for  the  building  of  a 
railroad. 

Since  January,  1891,  the  first  division  of  this  road,  ninety- 
seven  miles  long,  from  Pecos  City,  Texas,  to  Eddy,  New  Mexico, 
has  been  in  active  operation.  Its  business  has  trebled  since  its 
opening,  both  in  passenger  and  freight  traffic. 

The  building  of  this  road  has  been  a  great  boon  to  Eddy,  but 
the  wise  controllers  and  promoters  of  the  reclamation  of  the 
lower  Pecos  valley  do  not  stop  short  of  completion.  The  valley 
above  Eddy  is  just  as  rich  as  below.  It  is  therefore  the  purpose 
to  push  the  building  of  this  road  north  to  a  junction  with  the 
great  Santa  Fe  route,  taking  en  route  Roswell  and  other  towns. 
The  management  are  wisely  reticent  about  their  ultimate  plans. 
Where  they  have  actually  determined  to  tap  the  Santa  F6  has 
not  been  revealed,  but  it  is  a  certainty  that  the  extension  will 
be  commenced  in  the  immediate  future.  Surveying  parties  have 
laid  out  the  line  as  far  as  Koswell,  to  which  point,  a  distance  of 
eighty  miles,  it  will  go  with  only  three  tangents.  This  shows 
the  comparatively  level  nature  of  the  country. 

Assuming  only  that  it  will  reach  the  Santa  Fe  route  some- 
where in  central  New  Mexico,  a  glance  at  the  map  shows  quite 
a  startling  railroad  proposition.  The  Pecos  Valley  railroad  is 
of  standard  gauge.  The  Santa  Fe  road  in  Texas,  within  150 
miles  east,  at  San  Augelo,  has  also  a  standard  gauge.  The 
building,  of  this  small  stretch  of  railroad  would  give  the  Santa 
Fe  and  Pecos  Valley  roads  the  shortest  inter-ocean  railway  in 
the  United  States.  With  a  line  from  the  deep  water  harbors  of 
Galveston  and  Velasco,  through  Texas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona 
and  California,  this  combination  would  become  the  most  for- 
midable competitor  for  inter-continental  traffic  in  the  country. 


BY    THE    BUEEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION. 


How  to  Get  a  Farm. 

The  following  statistics  will  be  interesting  to  those  who  intend 
to  locate  in  Eddy.  The  cost  of  a  water  right  has  heretofore  been 
given.  Laud  is  worth  from  $25  to  $35  per  acre.  Taking  it  at 
the  lower  cost  a  forty  acre  tract  would  cost  the  farmer  about  as 
follows  : 

Land,  at  $25  per  acre  ...............................  $1,000  00 

Grubbing,  at,  say,  $2  per  acre  ........................  80  00 

One  mile  of  fence,  four  wires  .......................  120  00 

Plowing,  at  $3  per  acre  .............................  120  00 

Alfalfa  seed  for  30  acres,  20  Ibs.  to  the  acre,  at  12^c 

(present  price)  ....................................  75  00 

Corn  or  cane  seed  for  10  acres,  60  Ibs.  to  the  acre,  at  2c.  12  00 

Harrowing  40  acres,  at  25c  .............  '  .............  10  00 

Ditching  40  acres,  at  25c  ............................  10  00 

Harvesting  ........................................  60  (X) 


Total $1,487  00 

In  addition  to  this  there  would  be  an  annual  water  rental  of 

$1.25  per  acre. 

The  above  figures  were  furnished  by  an  actual  farmer  in  the 

Pecos  valley.     He  also  furnished'the  following,  which  gives  an 

idea  of  the  first  year's  return: 

First  cutting  alfalfa,  \±  ton  to  acre,  30  acres,  T1^  tons 

at  $15 $  112  50 

Second  cutting,  1  ton  per  acre,  30  tons  at  $15 450  00 

Ten  acres  cane  or  corn,  4  tons  to  the  acre,  at  $12 480  00 


Total $1,042  50 

The  second  year's  possible  returns  he  put  at  $3,375  for  al- 
falfa and  $480  for  corn  or  cane. 

The  above  is  a  low  estimate  of  two  staple  crops.  If  fruit 
raising  is  attempted  of  course  there  will  be  no  return  for  about 
three  years,  but  the  ultimate  profit  will  be  much  larger. 

A  Costly  but  Profitable  Investment. 

The  Hagerman  ranch  has  cost  over  $100,000  to  put  in  shape. 
The  question  now  arises  was  all  this  done  merely  to  provide 
a  beautiful  home.  Certainly  not.  Mr.  Hagerman  as  surely 
expects  a  good  return  on  his  outlay  as  any  farmer  in  the  valley. 
His  eighty  acres  of  alfalfa  will  yield  him  $60  gross  per  acre,  or 
$4,800.  His  fruit,  130  acres  now  planted,  will  average  $200 


266 


NEW  MEXICO. 


per  acre,  a  gross  income  of  $26,000.  Allowing  for  expensive 
and  improved  methods  that  it  costs  $5,000  or  $10,000  per  year 
to  keep  up  the  ranch,  it  will  easily  be  seeo  that  Mr.  Hagerman's 
lovely  home  will  annually  yield  him  a  handsome  income.  Or 
to  take  a  lower  and  very  reasonable  estimate  of  $140  gross  re- 
turn per  acre  annually,  and  from  640  acres,  when  fully  im- 
proved, he  will  receive  each  year  $89,600. 

Viewed  merely  in  the  light  of   an  investment  this  is  a  far 
more  than  handsome  return.    If  such  a  proposition  was  laid  be- 


Public  School  Building,  Eddy. 

fore  any  good  business  man  he  would  pronounce  it  a  good 
thing.  Ample  data  will  be  given  the  reader  later  to  show  that 
the  above  is  very  much  underestimated.  If  the  comparatively 
poor  man  will  adapt  these  figures  to  his  own  case,  and  know 
that  they  are  backed  by  one  of  the  soundest  financiers  of  the 
age,  he  can  hardly  hesitate  in  admitting  the  value  of  irrigation. 
Land  a  great  deal  better  for  all  practical  purposes  than  the 
Hagerrnaii  farm  can  be  had  in  the  Pecos  valley  for  from  $25  to 
§35  per  acre. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  207 

The  view  from  this  beautiful  ranch  is  magnificent.  To  the 
east  stretches  the  parapet  of  the  Llano  Estacado;  in  the  west 
the  rolling  tops  of  the  Guadalupe  mountains  break  the  azure 
sky  line ;  at  one's  feet  almost  lies  Eddy  and  its  bustling  life,  with 
the  Pecos  river  backed  up  like  a  lake  for  three  miles;  to  the 
south  stretches  the  great  valley,  the  houses  of  Malaga  and 
Vaud  tell  of  life  and  activity;  three  miles  away  the  mile  square 
vineyard  of  Chas.  W.  Greene  glows  in  the  sun  like  an  emerald 
on  the  breast  of  the  mesa;  while  a  hundred  homesteads  dot  the 
brown  expanse  with  tiny  specks  of  green.  Three  years  ago 
there  was  not  a  house  between  Eddy  and  Malaga,  twenty  miles 
away.  The  scene  was  grand,  but  wild  and  bleak.  To-day  how 
changed.  Life,  comfort  and  happiness  announce  themselves  in 
hundreds  of  verdurous  spots,  and  it  is  realized  more  strongly 
how  this  magnificent  wilderness,  150  miles  in  length,  is  assum- 
ing a  delightful  and  civilized  appearance. 

Wool  Growing. 

One  of  the  great  factors  of  this  prosperity  is  the  adaptability 
of  the  Pecos  valley  to  wool  growing.  All  day  long  heavy  freight 
wagons  in  the  clipping  season  are  hauling  the  fine  fleeces  to  the 
depot.  More  than  500,000  pounds  of  wool  were  shipped  last  year. 
The  ranges  for  sheep  are  good,  and  the  non-irrigable  land  affords 
good  winter  grass.  These  places  will  always  be  sufficiently  re- 
moved from  the  farm  settlements  to  make  wool  and  mutton 
raising  a  profitable  investment. 

The  C.   W.  Greene  Properties. 

The  Pecos  Irrigated  Farms  Company  is  organized  with  a  cap- 
ital of  $250,000.  It  owns  three  sections,  known  as  the  lower 
farms,  on  the  Pecos  south  of  Malaga.  They  are  all  under  ditch 
and  are  intended  to  be  sold  in  lots  of  forty  acres.  On  each  plat 
twenty  acres  are  planted  to  alfalfa,  ten  acres  to  fruit  trees,  and 
the  remaining  ten  acres  are  merely  cleared  so  that  the  purchaser 
maj  devote  them  to  any  culture  he  desires,  or  the  company  will 
plant  them  according  to  orders.  This  land,  improved  as  it  is,  sells 
for  the  reasonable  price  of  $60  per  acre,  or  $2,400  for  a  forty 


268 


NEW  MEXICO. 


acre  tract.  The  payments  run  over  four  years,  and  are  in  equal 
installments  of  $600  each.  This  proposition  is  one  of  the  most 
advantageous  to  the  purchaser  of  any  ever  made  in  the  West. 


Eddy  County  Court  House. 

The  farms  are  in  perfect  condition  for  growing  profitable  crops 
at  the  moment  the  farmer  takes  them. 

On  the  Felix  river,  twenty-two  miles  from  Koswell  and  adja- 
cent to  the  railroad,  are  3,000  acres  laid  out  in  the  same  way 
as  the  lower  farms. 

These  properties  are  among  the.  best  in  the  Pecos  valley.  All 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  269 

of  them  lie  in  selected  locations.   The  parks  near  Eddy  are  very 
beautiful. 

Eddy. 

The  county  seat  of  Eddy  county  is  the  well  built  and  regu- 
lated town  of  Eddy.  It  is  situated  on  a  rolling  mesa,  and  con- 
tains some  of  the  best  business  blocks  and  most  costly  and  hand- 
some private  residences. 

Scattered  around  are  handsome  churches,  erected  by  the  Epis- 
copalians, Baptists  and  Methodists,  and  smaller  ones  by  other 
religious  organizations;  to  which  has  been  added  during  the 
past  three  months  a  large  Catholic  church. 

Two  large,  commodious  schools  are  conveniently  located,  while 
another  of  brick,  iron  and  stone,  two  stories  high,  heated  and 
ventilated  according  to  the  latest  modern  science,  has  been 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $10,000.  When  the  townsite  company  laid 
out  the  town  the  first  business  attended  to  was  the  location  and 
building  of  school  houses. 

The  court  house  is  a  model  county  building.  It  is  of  brick, 
and  cost  $30,000.  The  design  is  so  appropriate  and  elegant 
and  the  workmanship  so  thorough  that  it  would  be  always  esti- 
mated as  worth  $50,000. 

Eddy  contains  sixty- eight  miles  of  graded  streets;  130  miles 
of  irrigating  ditches,  so  that  every  lot  has  water  for  irrigation ; 
ninety-four  miles  of  shade  trees  planted  by  the  city  alone;  a 
dozen  large  general  stores,  business  establishments  and  public 
markets  such  as  are  usual  in  a  thrifty  modern  city. 

Roswell. 

Chaves  county  is  no  less  important  than  Eddy  as  a  factor  in 
the  Pecos  valley.  All  general  descriptions  heretofore  apply 
equally  to  both.  Roswell  is  the  county  seat  of  Chaves,  and  is 
surrounded  by  a  much  older  settlement  and  more  picturesque 
country  than  Eddy.  It  was  settled  in  1875  and  it  is  a  prosper- 
ous, pretty  and  very  interesting  town.  It  has  many  orchards 
arid  the  fruit  raised  there  is  fine,  luscious  and  plentiful.  It  is 
steadily  increasing  in  population  and  growing  in  prosperity  and 


270  NEW  MEXICO. 


importaDce.  It  is  connected  with  the  city  of  Eddy  by  a  telephone 
and  telegraph  line  ninety  miles  in  length.  Ancient  cottonwoods 
and  extensive  orchards  lend  a  settled  look  to  it.  One  great  ad- 
vantage it  has  over  the  lower  country  is  that  artesian  water  in 
light  flows  can  be  had  comparatively  easily.  The  following 
gentlemen  have  wells  that  have  been  carefully  measured: 

Jaffa  &  Prager:— Depth,  207  feet;  H  inch  pipe;  flow,  24 
gallons  per  minute. 

Main  Street: — Depth,  165  feet;  1^  inch  pipe;  flow,  very  slow. 

S.  Truxton:  —Depth,  150  feet;  1^  inch  pipe;  flow,  3f  gallons 
per  minute. 

J.  C.  Lea: — Depth,  165  feet;  3  inch  pipe;  flow,  not  definite- 
ly taken. 

Cosgrove: — Depth,  185  feet;  1^  inch  pipe;  flow,  J  gallon  per 
second. 

The  town  is  well  supplied  with  hotels,  school  houses,  a  fine 
court  house,  well  laid  out  streets,  and  the  general  conveniences 
of  a  city.  At  the  Pecos  valley  fair,  held  at  Roswell  every  year, 
the  display  of  fruit  is  wonderful.  Nearly  every  person  has  seen 
a  picture  of  the  great  alfalfa  palace  which  was  part  of  the  ex- 
hibit of  1892.  Fruit,  alfalfa,  and  vegetables  are  the  staples. 
Boswell  is  also  a  great  wool  depot,  receiving  the  fleeces  of  Lin- 
coln and  Chaves  counties. 

Other  Towns. 

Otis,  Yaud,  Hagerman  and  Malaga  are  thriving  new  settle- 
ments, all  founded  since  1891,  but  all  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

A  Sign  of  Progress. 

There  is  a  proverb  in  the  Sahara,  "put  a  stick  in  the  ground 
and  water  it  and  you  can  have  a  tree."  That  is  just  the  case  in 
the  Pecos  valley.  Take  cottonwood  stakes  twelve  feet  long, 
stick  them  in  the  warm  soil  and  water  them  and  they  grow 
into  large  trees.  The  planted  shade  trees  of  Eddy  and  surround- 
ing little  towns  if  stretched  in  a  single  line  would  shade  a  road 
from  Chicago  to  St.  Louis  and  thence  almost  to  Cincinnati.  All 
this  has  been  done  since  1890. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  271 

Live  Stock. 

The  Pecos  valley  is  rapidly  gaining  fame  as  an  excellent 
breeding  place  for  live  stock.  In  Chaves  c'ounty  there  are  now 
about  3,000  horses,  100,000  cattle  and  60,000  or  70,000  sheep. 
In  Eddy  there  are  about  7,000  horses,  75,000  to  100,000  cattle 
and  about  30,000  sheep.  The  assessors'  returns  will  be  found 
under  the  head  "property,"  and  while  not  so  large  as  the  figures 
here  given,  these  are  yet  well  within  the  bounds  of  reason,  if 
allowance  is  made  for  the  usual  omissions  of  the  assessment  rolls. 
The  eastern  part  of  these  counties  contains  splendid  range,  but 
the  effort  here  is  to  own  well  bred  live  stock.  The  demands 
of  the  farm  are  no  longer  satisfied  with  range  ponies,  nor  the 
dairy  or  market  with  semi-wild  cows  or  range  beef.  In  noth- 
ing else  is  the  progress  of  the  valley  better  shown  than  in  the 
improvement  of  the  number  and  quality  of  its  live  stock. 


CLIMATE. 


Modern  literature,  and  especially  American,  is  full  of  descrip- 
tions of  foreign  climates.  The  changes  are  rung  on  Lake  Como, 
the  Riviera,  {Southern  France  and  a  half  a  dozen  other  places 
in  tiresome  iteration.  The  United  States  boasts  climatic  ad- 
vantages superior  to  any  of  them.  Take  New  Mexico  for  in- 
stance. It  lies  on  the  southern  slope  of  the  continental  divide, 
in  the  region  of  perpetual  sunshine.  Its  air  is  dry  and  pure 
and  the  average  elevation  of  its  valleys  above  sea  level  is  one 
mile.  Fogs  of  the  kind  that  make  hazy  weather  are  unknown. 
The. average  number  of  cheery,  sunny  days  is  about  290,  while 
of  the  balance  there  is  hardly  one,  certainly  not  more  than  half 
a  dozen,  when  the  sun  is  absolutely  invisible.  Altitude,  sun- 
shine and  latitude  so  balance  one  another  that  almost  every  day 
is  "elixir  to  the  breath  and  velvet  to  the  cheek."  During  the 
past  twenty  years  observance  of  the  weather,  in  the  city  of  Santa 
Fe,  the  thermometer  only  registered  90  degrees  or  above  eight 
times.  At  an  alt.tude  of  from  5,000  to  7,000  feet,  the  winter 
season  should  be  long ;  bullying  as  New  Mexico  does  between 
the  37th  and  32nd  parallels  of  latitude,  the  cold  of  winter  is 
minimized,  while  the  heat  of  summer  is  reduced.  It  must  not 
be  supposed  that  New  Mexico  is  within  the  frostless  belt.  On 
the  contrary,  the  winters  are  of  a  healthy  cold.  It  may  be  bet- 
ter understood  if  it  is  explained  that  New  Mexico  enjoys  the 
summer  climate  of  Minnesota  or  Wisconsin,  the  winter  climate 
of  Tennessee  or  North  Carolina,  and  the  spring  of  southern 
Illinois  or  Ohio.  But  there  is  one  advantage  that  belongs  to 
none  of  these  places.  The  dry  air  minimizes  the  effect  of  both 
heat  and  cold.  In  summer  warm  underwear  is  comfortable,  in- 
deed very  desirable;  in  winter  there  is  no  need  of  weighty 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


273 


wraps.  Some  light  woolen  fabric  is  sufficient  as  an  outer  pro- 
tection and  the  body  clothing  may  be  whatever  is  most  fancied. 
So  much  as  concerns  physical  comfort;  but  there  is  rarer 
pleasure  yet.  The  air -of  New  Mexico  comes  in  with  the  winds 
from  the  widest  Pacific.  As  it  scales  the  terraced  western  slopes 
of  the  great  divide  it  is  gradually  dried  out,  and  on  reaching 
here  is  crisp,  rarefied,  and  a  poor  conductor  of  heat.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  is  filled  with  ozone  and  all  the  elements  most 
favorable  to  excite  the  bodily  functions  necessary  to  produce 

,.      ••V^^-,*-^^a.  . 
-^$&*&. 


Montezuma  Hotel,  Las  Vegas  Hot  Springs. 

animal  heat.  Its  rarefaction  is  so  great  that  distance  is  practi- 
cally annihilated.  Mountains  and  hills  twenty  and  thirty  miles 
off  seem  not  more  than  three  or  four  and  stand  revealed  from 
base  to  summit  in  all  their  beauty  of  brown,  gray,  ochre,  and 
crimson.  The  lights  are  high  and  the  shadows  dense,  while 
at  points  through  the  lower  hills  are  opened  vistas  of  mon- 
arch peaks  more  than  100  miles  listant.  Here  and  there 
a  tiny  cloud  dapples  these  shouldering  giants  and  again  they 
blaze  out  in  naked  beauty.  There  is  scarcely  a  hamlet  in  New 
Mexico  that  does  not  afford  these  beautiful  views. 

To  put  this  phenomenon  of  long  vision  of  beautiful  objects  in 

a  practical  light  let  us  consider  it  according  to  eastern  ideas  of 
an 


274  NK\V  MFA~TCO. 


distance.  Suppose  that  a  splendid  mountain  range  encircled 
Philadelphia;  if  the  eastern  people  enjoyed  New  Mexico's  pure  air 
the  peaks  would  be  visible  to  the  New  Yorker.  The  Boston  man 
could  look  off  towards  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  feast  on  the  glories 
of  a  mountain  sunset.  The  summits  of  the  Adirondacks  could 
be  seen  from  Poughkeepsie.  The  sheen  of  a  mountain  peak  at 
Milwaukee  would  be  visible  at  Chicago,  with  all  the  enchant- 
ment of  distance. 

The  causes  that  operate  to  fill  our  air  with  a  velvety  elixir 
are  the  same  that  make  the  country  arid.  There  is,  however, 
a  vast  difference  between  an  arid  and  a  desert  region.  The 
desert  is  so  because  it  has  no  water;  the  arid  region  is  so  for 
want  of  rain  in  the  valleys.  Owing  to  a  peculiar  arrangement 
of  towering  mountains  the  rains  and  snows  descend  on  their 
crests  to  a  depth  of  90  or  100  inches.  The  valleys  have  a 
rainfall  of  only  thirteen  or  fourteen  inches.  This  is  only  enough 
to  lay  the  dust:  but  from  the  bosoms  of  the  mountains  pour 
constant  streams  of  living  water,  filled  with  a  silt  and  sediment 
as  rich  as  that  from  the  Nubian  mountains  that  fertilizes  the 
valley  of  the  Nile,  and  this  taken  out  upon  the  arable  land  ren- 
ders our  fields  perennially  fertile.  Of  course  without  irrigation 
the  arid  fields  are  sere  and  brown  with  burnt  vegetation,  or 
gray  with  sand;  but  saturate  them  with  the  mountain  waters 
and  they  bloom  with  green  and  gold.  The  Atlantic  States  have 
an  average  precipitation  of  fifty  inches  per  annum.  How  often 
even  with  this  do  crops  fail  either  through  drought  or  flood. 
Relying  on  nature  the  ripening  months  are  often  too  dry,  and 
again  too  wet,  to  make  a  good  crop.  In  the  so-called  deserts  of 
New  Mexico  this  is  never  the  case. 

The  old  saying  that  "praise  from  a  rival  is  praise  indeed,"  is 
true  now  as  ever.  Hence  the  following  is  quoted  from  the  edi- 
torial columns  of  the  Denver  Republican: 

"New  Mexico  is  one  of  the  richest  parts  of  the  national  do- 
main, but  there  are  many  people  who  do  not  appreciate  this. 
They  think  it  is  a  barren  and  desolate  region ;  and  what  is  espe- 
cially to  be  noted  is  the  fact  that  this  erroneous  opinion  is  held 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


275 


by  some  of  the  inhabitants  of  Colorado.  Men  of  Colorado  who 
find  fault  with  people  in  the  East  for  thinking  that  Colorado  is 
a  desert  are  guilty  of  the  same  offense  when  it  comes  to  a  con- 
sideration of  New  Mexico.  In  New  Mexico,  as  in  Colorado, 
irrigation  is  necessary  for  agriculture,  but  wherever  irrigation 
is  practicable  the  soil  produces  bountifully.  In  some  respects 
the  climate  is  better  than  that  of  Colorado.  The  winters  are 
milder." 

That  the  climate  of  New  Mexico  is  the  mildest  and  most 
equable  on  earth  may  be  doubted  by  outsiders,  but  every 
resident  firmly  believes  it.  However,  it  is  best  to  permit  the 
reader  to  form  his  own  opinion  on  the  record  taken  from  the 
data  gathered  by  the  weather  service  during  a  period  of  twenty 
years,  at  Santa  F6,  so  far  the  only  data  available.  According 
to  these  figures,  the  normal  temperature,  reckoned  according  to 
Fahrenheit's  scale,  for  each  month  in  the  year  is  as  follows: 
January,  27.08;  February,  32.06;  March,  39.06;  April,  46.04; 
May,  55.08;  June,  65.00;  July,  68.07;  August,  66.05;  Septem- 
ber, 60.01;  October,  50.00;  November,  37.02;  December,  30.09 
(see  last  annual  report  of  the  weather  service  bureau). 

Taking  the  year,  then,  and  considering  it  by  monthly  normals 
only  the  mean  annual  temperature  would  be  48.32  degrees  above 
zero.  Below  are  given  the  actual  figures  for  each  year,  and  the 
reader  can  form  his  own  opinion  of  the  departures  from  an  ab- 
solutely equable  temperature: 


Year. 

Annual 

Year. 

Annual 

Year. 

Annual 

Year. 

Annual 

Year. 

Annual 

mean. 

mean. 

mean. 

mean. 

mean. 

1872 

47.9 

1876 

47.5 

1880 

45.0 

1886 

47.6 

1890 

50.4 

1873 

48.5 

1877 

47.6 

1881 

49.7 

1887 

49.0 

1891 

47.3 

1874 

48.0 

1878 

47.5 

1882 

48.3 

1888 

48.4 

1892 

49.1 

1875 

47.5 

1879 

50.2 

1885 

47.7 

1889 

49.8 

1893 

49.5 

1883  and  1884  lacking. 

The  two  years  noted  as  lacking  are  when  changes  in  the 
staff  of  observers  or  omissions  rendered  an  actually  accurate 
record  impossible.  The  results  of  the  partial  returns  are  there- 
fore not  given. 

The  study  of  "means"  and  averages  is  very  deceptive.  It 
is  only  by  giving  in  connection  therewith  other  figures  and  data 


27(>  NEW  MEXICO. 


that  an  intelligent  idea  can  be  gathered.  During  the  twenty 
years  observations  quoted  the  thermometer  reached  90  degrees" 
in  the  shade  only  seven  times.  The  hottest  day  recorded  at 
Santa  F6,  the  main  office,  is  97  degrees.  Only  fifteen  times  did 
the  cold  touch  zero  throughout  this  period.  These  figures  may 
be  considered  as  general  to  the  Territory;  but  the  necessary 
changes  and  amendments  will  suggest  themselves  to  the  reader 
according  to  altitude  and  latitude.  Of  course  the  mean  range 
of  the  summer  months  will  be  higher  at  Las  Cruces,  Eddy, 
Deming  or  Silver  City,  where  the  normal  for  the  month  of  July 
will  probably  be  70  or  72  degrees;  but  the  temperature  of  Jan- 
uary, the  coldest  month,  will  be  correspondingly  increased.  The 
figures  quoted  will  very  fairly  apply  to  Las  Vegas,  Albuquer- 
que, Eaton  and  many  other  sections  of  the  Territory. 

Herewith  is  given  the  record  in  inches  and  fractions  of  the 
normal  rain  and  snow  fall  of  each  month  for  the  valley  areas : 
January,  0.58;  February,  0.77;  March,  0.65;  April,  0.35;  May, 
0.90;  June,  0.95;  July,  2.74;  August,  2.59;  September,  1.50; 
October,  1.00;  November,  0.89;  December,  0.83. 

The  reader  will  note  that  the  precipitation  is  greater  in  the 
months  of  summer;  that  in  fact  it  is  almost  in  direct  ratio  to 
the  amount  of  caloric*  in  the  air.  For  this  reason,  among  others, 
the  summer  heat  of  the  sun  is  tempered,  while  its  fall  effect  is 
felt  in  winter.  It  will  also  be  noted  by  a  reference  to  the  lead- 
ing article  of  this  book  that  290  sunny  days  may  be  expected 
each  year  throughout  New  Mexico.  Of  the  balance  not  more 
than  thirty  days  will  be  what  are  technically  termed  "cloudy/' 
that  is  that  the  sun  is  invisible  for  eight-tenths  of  the  time. 
The  forty-five  remaining  days  will  be  such  as  show  a  broken 
sunshine  record.  The  automatic  indicator  at  Santa  F6  has 
never  registered  a  single  day,  winter  or  summer,  when  the  sun 
was  totally  invisible. 

The  winter  temperature  of  New  Mexico  is  delightful.  Actual 
experience  is  the  only  appropriate  test  of  its  salubrity.  How- 
ever, to  give  some  idea  of  the  temperate  weather,  take  January, 
the  coldest  month,  with  a  temperature  of  27  degrees:  tfiere 


'        OF  THE 

SRS1TY 

of 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  277 


will  hardly  be  a  single  day  when  it  will  freeze  during  daylight. 
The  air  and  ground  are  dry  and  free  from  frost,  therefore 
shortly  after  sunrise  the  temperature  begins  to  rise,  and  from 
early  breakfast  time  until  dark  the  weather  is  mild  enough  for 
delicate  persons  to  enjoy  out- door  life. 

Comparing  the  humidity  of  New  Mexico  with  the  world  at 
large,  we  find,  according  to  the  U.  S.  weather  bureau,  that  7(> 
par  cent  of  moisture  in  the  air  is  general  for  the  Atlantic  coast, 
while  at  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  it  is  86;  Chicago  has  71  per  cent, 
and  San  Francisco  70  per  cent  of  vapor  or  humidity  in  the  at- 
mosphere. New  Mexico  has  only  30  per  cent  of  relative  humid- 
ity. 

This  will  be  better  comprehended  by  saying  that  the  rainfall 
of  New  York  is  52.30  inches  per  annum;  Cincinnati,  47.70; 
Aiken,  South  Carolina,  45.3;  interior  New  York  State,  41.24; 
Milwaukee,  30.09;  and  so  on;  while  New  Mexico  generally  has 
only  between  13  and  14  inches  of  snow  or  rain;  and  besides 
this  the  soil  is  a  deep,  sandy  loam  into  which  the  rain  sinks,  so 
that  an  hour  or  so  after  an  ordinary  shower  the  surface  is-  dry 
and  fit  for  the  tread  of  the  most  delicate  pedestrian. 

Take  the  foregoing  facts  and  then  consider  that  at  an  altitude  of 
4,000  to  7,000  feet  the  lungs  are  exercising  as  in  a  special  gym- 
nasium, not  alone  during  the  day  but  at  night  and  all  the  time. 
The  air  being  light  and  incapable  of  a  high  degree  of  satura- 
tion, breathing  is  easy  and  healthful.  Culled  from  the  many 
medical  opinions  on  New  Mexico  .the  following  are  quoted: 

Dr.  Clinton  Wagner,  service  surgeon  of  the  New  York  Metro- 
politan Throat  Hospital,  says: 

"The  effect  of  dry  rarefied  air  is  to  increase  the  appetite: 
assimilation  is  improved,  the  number  and  depth  of  respirations 
(breathings)  are  increased,  the  chest  gains  in  expansive  power; 
more  moisture  is  exhaled  than  in  humid  atmospheres,  the  effect 
of  which  is  in  time  to  check  secretion  from  the  diseased  tissues. 
The  cheeks  fill  out,  the  complexion  becomes  of  a  ruddy  brown, 
the  strength  increases,  the  spirits  revive,  and  the  invalid  be- 
comes impressed  with  the  idea  that  he  will  recover." 


278  NEW  MEXICO. 


Speaking  of  the  immunity  of  New  Mexico  from  consumption, 
ex-Surgeon  General  W.  A.  Hammond,  U.  S.  A.,  says: 

"New  Mexico  is  by  far  the  most  favorable  residence  in  the 
United  States  for  those  predisposed  or  affected  with  phthisis 
(consumption).  In  a  service  of  three  years  in  New  Mexico, 
during  which  period  I  served  at  eight  different  stations,  I  saw 
but  three  cases  of  phthisis,  and  these  were  in  persons  recently 
arrived  from  elsewhere." 

Prof.  Jaccoud,  an  eminent  French  physician,  writing  on  the 
"Curability  and  Treatment  of  Pulmonary  Phthisis,"  and  speak- 
ing of  New  Mexico  in  particular,  says: 

"Mountainous  climates  have  in  reality  a  double  effect;  firstly 
a  general  one,  by  which  the  constitution  is  restored  to  a  healthy 
condition ;  secondly  a  local  one,  by  which  the  rapidity  of  respi- 
ration is  increased  to  a  maximum  degree,  while  the  lung  is 
protected  from  the  effects  of  congestion  or  hypersemia.  The 
climate  of  such  altitudes  produces  a  tonic  effect,  while  it  has  a 
mechanical  influence  upon  the  lungs  due  to  atmospheric  pres- 
sure." 

As  stated  before,  New  Mexico  is  a  vast  table  land,  averaging 
5,000  feet  above  sea  level.  Doctors  consider  that  disease  gerjns 
are  fewer,  and  the  general  conditions  of  animal  life  more  favor- 
able at  an  elevation  of  4,000  to  7,500  feet  than  at  any  other  alti- 
tude. Another  great  requisite  of  a  good  climate  is  a  dry,  non- 
malarious  air.  Prof.  Joseph  P.  Boss,  addressing  the  Chicago 
Medical  Society,  says: 

"Study  of  the  gulf  coast  and  Florida  leads  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  climate  is  a  failure  for  the  treatment  of  consumption. 
Patients  go  there,  the  air  is  balmy,  and  they  say  'what  a  beau- 
tiful air!'  They  do  not  cough  so  much,  but  they  sit  around,  for 
there  is  nothing  to  cause  them  to  take  exercise.  There  is  some  - 
thing  lacking  in  the  air.'  It  does  not  brace  one  up.  The  atmos- 
phere is  warm  and  moist,  and  very  depressing,  while  malaria 
abounds." 

Such  is  not  the  case  here.  While  the  movements  of  the  winds 
are  gentle,  only  between  five  and  seven  miles  an  hour,  they  come 
laden  with  ozone  from  the  mountains,  and  the  air  is  free  from 
impurity.  The  hottest  days  of  summer  are  pleasant  on  account 
of  this  balmy  breeze. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


This  question  of  the  average  velocity  of  the  winds  is  an  im- 
portant one  for  invalids.  Searching,  boisterous  gales  are  very 
trying  to  delicate  health.  The  figures  given  above — between 
five  and  seven  miles  per  hour — are  taken  from  the  records  of  the 
U.  S.  weather  service,  and  the  reader  may  easily  satisfy  himself 
of  their  exactness.  Such  things  as  blizzards,  cyclones  and  hur- 
ricanes are  unknown  in"  the  valleys  of  New  Mexico.  The  reason 
is  that  the  mountain  ramparts  that  surround  them  break  the 
force  of  violent  storms ;  and  the  airs  that  percolate  into  the  val- 
leys from  the  constant  continental  winds  are  mild  and  gentle. 
They  kiss  the  cheek  of  the  invalid  until  its  roses  bloom  again. 

The  foregoing  shows  the  advantages  of  New  Mexico  as  a 
world's  sanitarium.  In  the  native  dialects  there  is  no  word  to 
indicate  consumption.  Were  it  not  for  the  annual  influx  of 
consumptives  the  disease  would  be  to-day  unknown.  As  it  is 
the  death  rate  from  the  terrible  scourge  is  only  three  in  1,000 
deaths,  or  3-1000  per  cent.  By  an  examination  of  the  records 
of  the  United  States  census,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  mortality 
from  pulmonary  disease  averages  33J  per  cent,  while  in  Maine 
50  per  cent  of  ,all  the  deaths  between  the  ages  of  '20  and  40 
years  are  from  consumption.  The  general  average  in  New  En- 
gland is  25  per  cent,  Minnesota  14  per  cent  and  the  Southern 
States  from  5  to  6. 

A  committee  of  the  medical  societies  of  France  decided  years 
ago  that  New  Mexico  was  the  freest  part  of  the  habitable  world 
from  consumption.  Besides  this  it  presents  a  wide  range  of 
altitude.  Santa  Fe"  is  7,000  feet  high,  or  more  than  a  mile  and 
one-quarter  above  the  sea.  Las  Vegas,  in  about  the  same  lati- 
tude, and  Silver  City,  3  degrees  or  over  207  miles  further  south, 
are  about  6,000  feet  high.  Albuquerque,  somewhat  between  the 
two  in  latitude,  is  5,000  feet.  Las  Cruces  and  Eddy,  are  the 
centers  of  lovely  valleys,  and  about  3,400  feet  above  sea  level. 
Then  there  is  Deming,  about  3,000  feet  high,  where  the  air  is  as 
pure  and  free  from  moisture  as  the  Desert  of  Sahara.  There  is 
not  a  town  in  New  Mexico  from  Eaton,  on  the  north,  to  Colum- 


280  NEW  MEXICO. 


bus,  on  the  Mexican  border,  in  the  sink  of  the  Mimbres,  where 
consumption  may  not  be  cured  or  the  invalid  regain  strength. 
Dr.  Dennison,  of  Denver,  Colorado,  has  called  attention  to 
the  fact  that  "if  we  reckon  the  surface  of  the  human  body  at  10 
square  feet — the  average  proportion — we  see  that  at  an  altitude 
of  6,000  feet  the  body  of  a  man  is  relieved  of  the  enormous 
weight  of  7,000  pounds,  or  at  7,000  feet  more  than  8,000 
pounds.'*  Prof.  Lieberkuhn  reckons  the  area  of  respiratory  sur- 
face i  n  both 


lungs    of    a 
man    to    be 
i  1,400  square 

JJ;  inches.      The 

*flB 

*.-  >"5^(  enormous  re- 
;j?  lief   of    pres- 
sure    on     tlie 
?  weak  lungs  of 
*  a  consu  mp- 
— .    ^-^w    tive  is  there- 
fore easily 

St.  Vincent  Sanitarium,  Santa  Fe.  m  i 

o  e  e  11 .        _i_  11  tr 

effect  thereof  is  to  quicken  and  enlarge  respiration.  The  lungs 
are  very  elastic;  the  pressure  of  the  blood  within  them  remains  the 
same,  and  the  first  effect  of  a  removal  from  the  damp,  heavy  level 
of  the  sea  shore  to  this  altitude  is  a  healthy  expansion  of  the 
*  lungs.  Again,  in  order  to  procure  the  necessary  amount  of  oxygen 
iu  this  thin  air,  more  of  it  must  be  inhaled.  The  first  effect  there- 
fore noticed  is  a  more  rapid  breathing,  but  in  a  few  mouths 
this  subsides  into  a  natural,  deep  inhalation.  The  chest  has 
increased  in  girth,  from  two  to  five  inches  usually,  and  of 
course  the  lungs  attain  greater  size.  In  from  three  to  five 
months  the  consumptive,  not  too  far  gone  in  disease,  should  be 
on  the  sure  road  to  permanent  recovery.  It  should  also  be  noted 
that  the  spring  months  in  New  Mexico  are  among  the  driest  of 
the  year,  and  the  consumptive  need  not  fear  this  trying  season 
as  he  does  elsewhere.  Colorado  would  have  equally  as  good  a 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  2.81 

climate  as  New  Mexico  were  it  not  for  the  greater  amount  of 
moisture  that  pervades  its  atmosphere.  The  relative  humidity 
of  April,  May  and  June,  the  worst  months  on  weak  lungs,  is 
35.2  per  cent  for  the  first  month  and  30.3  and  30.5  for  the 
others,  respectively. 

There  is  one  other  feature  of  the  climate  to  be  mentioned,  and 
that  is  the  absence  of  rank  vegetation.  This  makes  New  Mexico, 
in  its  general  expanse,  a  splendid  sanitarium  for  hay  fever  as 
well  as  consumption. 

The  inquirer  will  naturally  ask,  where  shall  I  locate  in  New 
Mexico.  If  he  be  an  invalid  he  should  consult  his  physician, 
and  through  his  advice  select  the  altitude  and  latitude  most 
suitable  to  him.  He  is  offered  a  range  of  five  degrees  of  lati- 
tude, and  any  elevation  he  may  desire  down  to  about  3,000  feet. 
If  the  immigrant  is  merely  seeking  this  climate  as  a  preventa- 
tive  anywhere  will  do.  He  should  read  the  balance  of  this  book 
and  decide  on  the  location  best  suited  to  his  business.  Every 
quarter  will  benefit  his  health.  If,  however,  he  desires  local 
treatment  in  the  way  of  baths  or  mineral  waters  a  wide  range 
of  selection  is  open  to  him. 


EDUCATION. 


The  amount  of  aid  and  the  facilities  to  obtain  a  good  educa- 
tion free  of  charge  afforded  by  the  State  are  always  good  criteria 
of  public  character  and  progress  in  any  community.  New  Mex- 
ico's system  of  public  schools  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  country 
and  is  very  liberally  supported  by  appropriations  from  various 
sources.  A  resume  of  the  school  law  will  therefore  be  of  interest. 

The  executive  machinery  consists  of  a  superintendent  of  pub- 
lic instruction  and  a  territorial  board  of  education  made  up  of 
the  following  membership:  the  governor,  the  superintendent  of 
public  instruction,  the  president  of  St.  Michael's  College,  Santa 
Fe",  the  president  of  the  University,  at  Albuquerque,  and  the 
president  of  the  Agricultural  College,  Las  Cruces,  who  meet 
semi-annually,  and  at  such  other  times  as  may  be  necessary. 
This  board  prescribes  the  kind  and  authorship  of  school  books  to 
be  used.  The  superintendent  is  obliged  to  visit  each  county 
once  each  year  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a  teachers  institute, 
which  shall  continue  for  at  least  two  days.  During  these  visits 
he  shall  also  carefully  examine  into  and  direct  all  matters  con- 
nected with  public  education.  The  superintendent  is  also 
charged  with  other  ministerial  duties  in  the  way  of  reports,  etc. 
The  law  also  provides  for  county  superintendents,  who  shall 
have  local  powers.  Each  county  is  divided  into  school  districts, 
under  charge  of  directors.  These  schools  are  supported  by  a 
territorial  tax  of  3  mills  on  the  dollar  of  all  taxable  property,  a 
poll  tax  of  $1  on  each  voter,  the  proceeds  of  licenses-,  together 
with  the  proceeds  of  certain  fines.  The  statistics  hereafter  pre- 
sented will  show  how  ample  these  funds  are  for  the  support  of 
the  public  schools.  It  will  be  noted  that  considerably  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  million  was  available  for  the  public  schools. 


Bi'    THE    BUKEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION. 


As  is  to  be  seen  this  was  considerably  in  excess  of  the  actual 
needs  of  the  schools.  Under  the  present  appropriation  and 
apportionment  of  funds  it  is  easily  possible  to  give  every  child 
who  wishes  to  attend  from  eight  to  ten  months  schooling.  The 
physical  difficulty  of  long  distances  between  the  scholars  and 
the  school  is  the  main  factor  in  reducing  the  school  year  in 
some  localities. 

The  studies  in  every  school  are  the  same  :  reading  and  spell- 
ing, writing,  grammar,  geography,  arithmetic  and  algebra,  his- 
tory, physiology  and  hygiene.  This  curriculum  is  wide  enough 
to  fit  any  boy  or  girl  for  the  duties  of  life.  The  text  books  are 
all  non-sectarian,  in  the  English  language,  with  the  exception 
of  a  primer  in  English  and  Spanish,  and  are  those  prescribed  by 
the  territorial  board  of  education. 

Free  education  is  also  afforded  by  the  Territory  in  the  higher 
branches  of  knowledge,  at  the  University,  at  Albuquerque;  the 
School  of  Mines,  at  Socorro;  the  Agricultural  College,  at  Las 
Cruces,  and  two  normal  schools,  one  at  Silver  City,  and  one  at 
Las  Vegas. 

Normal  Institutes. 

The  superintendent  of  public  education  during  the  last  legis- 
lature secured  the  enactment  of  a  law  providing  for  the  hold- 
ing of  five  teachers  normal  institutes  during  vacation  of  each 
year,  for  the  purpose  of  improving  the  education  and  the 
methods  of  the  teachers  themselves.  The  branches  which  re- 
ceive most  attention  at  these  institutes  are  methods  of  teach- 
ing, the  laws  of  the  Territory  pertaining  to  education,  and  the 
general  science  of  the  teachers  profession.  The  sessions  shall 
not  be  less  than  eight  weeks  and  tuition  shall  be  free.  The  suc- 
cess of  these  institutes  last  year  was  wonderful. 

The  Military  Institute. 

To  further  stimulate  learning  the  Territory  has  provided  for 
a  free  military  institute,  at  Hoswell.  Academic  studies  are  fol- 
lowed here  under  strict  military  discipline.  Prof.  J.  E.  Edging- 
ton  directs  the  school,  assisted  by  a  competent  staff.  The  gov- 


r 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


285 


ernor  has  applied  for  the  detail  of  a  U.  S.  army  officer  to  this 
school  and  it  is  expected  the  order  will  presently  be  made. 

Private  Schools. 

The  public  schools  are  ably  seconded  in  their  good  work  by 
private  and  secular  institutions.  The  Methodists  and  Presby- 
terians have  a  number  of  well  attended  schools. 

The  following  are  the  schools  carried  on  by  the  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Home  Missions: 

CLASS  1. —  Day  schools  for  Mexican  children. 


Name  of  school. 

Teach- 
ers. 

Pupils. 

Estab- 
lished. 

Value 
of  prop- 
erty. 

Las  C  races  

0 

60 

1878 

ffcl  000 

Pajarito  
Corrales  

1 
1 

50 
30 

1884 
1878 

1,800 
1  800 

Jeulez  Hot  Spring*  

1 

24 

1881 

2.000 

Santa  Fe  
Capulin. 

1 
1 

60 
25 

1867 
1887 

1,000 

0  QQ0 

Cliaperito  
Raton  
Glorieta 

1 

o 

1 

30 

50 
20 

1889 
1887 
1881 

1,000 
1,100 
200 

Buena  Vista  

1 

30 

1888 

300 

Rociada.  . 

1 

20 

1887 

°75 

Ocate  

2 

35 

1881 

1  000 

El  Rito.     ... 

1 

30 

1883 

1  000 

Agua  del  Lobo  •  
Prado  de  Taos  
Fernandez  de  Taos  

I 

20 

60 
65 

1889 
1883- 
1873 

'250 
300 
2,000 

Ranches  de  Taos  
Arroyo  Seco. 

0 

1 

60 
15 

1881 
1889 

•2,000 
250 

Penasco  

1 

25 

1887 

250 

Embudo  
Pefia  Blanca  .  . 

I 

30 
40 

1887 
1891 

250 
100 

Los  Valles  

1 

80 

1891 

500 

CLASS  2. — Boarding  schools  for  Mexican  children. 


Name  of  school. 

Teach- 
ers. 

Pupils. 

Estab- 
lished. 

Value 
of  prop- 
erty. 

Santa  F6  

fi 

75 

1883 

$20  (KM) 

Las  Vegas  

5 

70 

1881 

l!t,(MM) 

CLASS  3.- -Day  schools  for  Indian  children. 


Name  of  school. 

Teach- 
ers. 

Pupils. 

Estab- 
lished. 

Value 
of  prop- 
erty. 

Isleta     

0 

25 

1882 

$275 

ZuiU 

n 

3<) 

1887 

1  600 

Laguna  

0 

45 

1876 

500 

Jemez  .                                 .                    .... 

a 

35 

1877 

2,000 

* 


;-^li\S  r 


High  School  at  Santa  Fe. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  287 

The    following  are    the  Methodist  mission  schools  and  the 
average  number  of  pupils  in  attendance: 

Tiptonville 45 

La  Joya 25 

Escondida 25 

Cerro 28 

Albuquerque  girls'  schools 20 

Las  Vegas 35 


Peralta 35 

Socorro 20 

El  Ranchito 25 

Albuquerque  College 00 

Old  Albuquerque 30 

Dulce    .  ..23 


The  Southern  Methodists  continue  to  carry  on  the  seminary 
at  Las  Vegas  with  good  success.  This  institution  had  the  mis- 
fortune of  a  visitation  by  fire,  but  it  has  kept  on  its  course  with 
unabated  energy. 

The  following  institutions  are  under  the  charge  of  Catholics : 

Under  Sisters  of  Charity. — Albuquerque:  St.  Vincent  Acad- 
emy, 130  girls ;  parochial  school,  150  pupils ;  San  Miguel:  select 
school,  40  pupils;  public  school,  175  pupils;  Santa  Fe":  orphan 
asylum,  62  pupils.  The  Sisters  of  Charity  also  conduct  a  sani- 
tarium as  well  as  a  hospital  at  Santa  F6,  the  latter  containing 
at  the  present  time  about  40  charity  patients.  There  are  about 
40  Sisters  of  Charity  teaching  in  the  Territory.  They  came 
from  Cincinnati  to  Santa  F6  in  1866;  to  Albuquerque  in  1880 
and  to  San  Miguel  in  1882. 

Under  Sisters  of  Mercy. — Mesilla:  select  and  parochial  schools 
for  boys  and  girls,  under  charge  of  7  sisters. 

At  Los  Alamos,  San  Miguel  county:  parochial  schools  with 
75  pupils,  and  a  public  school  of  50  pupils,  under  the  charge  of 
3  sisters. 

At  Silver  City,  Grant  county:  an  academy  and  parochial 
school  for  boys  and  girls,  under  the  charge  of  6  sisters ;  no  re- 
turn has  been  made  of  the  number  of  pupils  attending  their 
schools.  These  sisters  also  conduct  a  hospital  at  Silver  City. 

At  Santa  F6:  Academy  of  Our  Lady  of  Light,  established 
January  1,  1853;  number  of  pupils  enrolled  in  boarding  and 
select  day  school  during  the  session  1892-93,  70;  parochial 
school,  free,  298. 

At  Fernandez  de  Taos,  Taos  county:  St.  Joseph's  Convent, 
established  in  October,  1863;  the  number  of  boarders  and  day 
scholars,  105, 


28N  NEW  MEXICO. 


At  Mora,  Mora  county:  Annunciation  Convent,  established 
in  1804;  the  number  of  select  day  scholars,  50. 

At  Las  Yegas,  San  Miguel  county:  Academy  of  the  Immac- 
ulate Conception,  established  in  1869;  the  number  of  boarders 
and  select  day  scholars,  00:  number  enrolled  in  parochial 
school,  100. 

At  Las  Cruces:  Visitation  Academy,  established  in  1809:  the 
number  of  boarders  and  day  scholars,  155. 

At  Bernalillo,  Bernalillo  county:  Convent  of  Our  Lady  of 
the  Sacred  Heart,  established  in  1X75,  an  Indian  boarding 
school  for  girls;  the  number  of  Indian  pupils,  70. 

At  Socorro,  Socorro  county:  Convent  of  Our  Lady  of  Mount 
Carmel,  established  in  1875 ;  the  number  of  boarders  and  select 
day  pupils,  girls,  40;  free  school,  girls  and  boys,  181. 

( 'iidcr  Christian  Broihers. — The  Christian  Brothers  have 
conducted  St.  Michael's  College  at  Santa  Fe  since  1859.  The 
average  yearly  attendance  has  been  150  boys.  Some  of  the 
pupils  come  from  Colorado,  Arizona,  Texas  and  Old  Mexico, 
but  the  majority  are  from  our  own  Territory.  There  are  six 
departments  in  the  college,  under  the  tutorship  of  as  many 
teachers.  Besides  these  there  are  three  specialists  employed  in 
giving  lessons  in  extra  branches,  such  as  music,  telegraphy, 
typewriting,  stenography,  etc.  The  president  of  the  college  is 
a  member  of  the  territorial  board  of  education.  The  college  is 
empowered  to  confer  degrees,  besides  teachers'  certificates  to 
recipients  of  degrees. 

This  institution  is  unendowed  and  does  not  receive  any  share 
of  the  public  funds.  It  has  a  mineral  cabinet  containing  many 
valuable  specimens  of  the  minerals  found  in  the  Territory,  a 
complete  chemical  laboratory  and  assay  department,  besides  a 
museum  containing  rare  relics  of  Indian  and  Mexican  civiliza- 
tion arid  other  valuable  curiosities.  The  cathedral  parochial 
school  is  under  the  direction  of  St.  Michael's  College  and  has 
an  attendance  of  175  pupils,  who  are  taught  by  two  lay  teachers. 
It  is  supported  by  the  clergy  with  money  collected  from  the 
parishioners.  A  similar  school  exists  in  the  parish  of  Guada- 


BY    THE    BUEEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION. 


289 


lupe,  in  this  city  (Santa  Fe"),  which  has  an  average  attendance 
of  ()0  pupils,  boys  and  girls,  and,  like  that  of  the  cathedral,  has 
been  supported  by  the  contributions  of  the  people. 

Besides  these  schools  in  Santa  Fe,  the  Christian  Brothers 
conduct  a  parochial  school  in  Las  Yegas,  having  an  average  at- 
tendance of  120  boys,  under  the  direction  of  two  brothers;  a 


St.  Michael's  College,  Santa  Fe;  established   1859. 

county  school  in  Bernalillo,  with  an  attendance  of  125  pupils 
and  taught  by  two  brothers.. 

Catholic  Indian  Schools. — Boarding  school:  St.  Catherine's 
Indian  school  for  boys,  located  at  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  established 
in  1886;  the  average  attendance  has  been  during  the  fiscal 
year  94  pupils.  Day  schools:  Taos  day  school,  located  at  Taos, 


200 


NEW  MEXICO. 


N.  M. ;  average  attendance,  30  pupils.  San  Juan  day  school, 
located  at  San  Juan,  N.  M. ;  average  attendance,  32  pupils. 
Jemez  day  school,  located  at  Jemez,  N.  M. ;  average  attendance, 
35  pupils.  Acoma  day  school,  located  at  Acoma,  N.  M. ;  aver- 
age attendance,  25  pupils.  Laguna  day  school,  located  at  La- 
guna,  N.  M. ;  average  attendance,  28  pupils. 


Class  Building,  St.  Michael's  College. 

The  government  supports  a  large  Indian  school  at  Albuquer- 
que, and  ahother  at  Santa  Fe\  At  the  former  200  pupils  are 
in  attendance.  The  latter  has  been  closed  for  some  little  time 
owing  to  some  complications  at  the  Indian  office.  The  Kamona 
Indian  school,  at  Santa  F£,  with  60  pupils,  also  receives  a  small 
amount  of  government  aid, 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


291 


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OF 


INDIANS. 


New  Mexico  has  long  been  regarded  as  a  sort  of  outlying 
province  subjected  to  the  periodical  raids  of  hostile  and  savage 
Indians.  This  is  erroneous.  The  aboriginal  inhabitants  of 
this  big  Territory  are  the  Pueblo  Indians,  so  called  by  the 
Spaniards  because  they  dwelt  in  "fixed  habitations"  or  perma- 
nent villages.  They  are  noted  for  that  docility  and  gentleness 
of  character  that  demarks  civilization  from  barbarism,  and  have 
always  been  distinguished  from  the  nomadic  Indians  by  their 
fixed  homes,  their  permanent  cultivation  of  the  fields  adjacent 
to  their  villages,  and  the  civility  that  comes  from  an  organized 
system  of  government.  The  Pueblo  Indians  from  time  imme- 
morial have  been  the  bitter  enemies  of  the  Apaches,  the  Utes 
and  the  Navajoes.  War  between  the  wandering  tribes  and  the 
Pueblos  has  been  constant.  The  reason  is  therefore  plain  why 
New  Mexico  has  been  so  early  ridded  of  warlike  Indians.  The 
Pueblos  have  all  the  art  and  cunning  of  the  wandering  Indian, 
and  added  thereto  they  possess  the  civilized  obedience  to  author- 
ity that  marks  the  difference  between  civilization  and  barbar- 
ism. The  immigrant  need  not  fear  any  hostile  demonstrations 
from  Indians  in  this  Territory. 

Appended  are  the  statistics  of  the  Pueblo  and  Jicarilla  Apa- 
ches as  set  forth  by  the  agent: 

UNITED  STATES  INDIAN  SERVICE,  ) 

PUEBLO  AND  JICARILLA  AGENCY,       > 

SANTA  FE,  N.  M.,  Nov.  20,  1893.  \ 

Col  Max.  Frost,  Satita  Fe,  N.  M.  * 

DEAR  SIR: — In  compliance  with  your  request  I  append  here- 
with the  information  you  desire  respecting  the  Pueblo  and  Jica- 
rilla Indians. 


294  NEW  MEXICO. 


The  following  is  the  list  of  Indian  pueblos  in  New  Mexico, 
with  population  of  each: 

Acoma,  504;  Cochiti,  300;  Isleta,  1,055;  Jemez,  404;  Laguna, 
945;  Nambe,  74;Picuris,  107;  Pojoaque,  15;  Santa  Ana,  222; 
Sandia,  126;  Santa  Clara,  190;  Santo  Domingo,  793;  San  Fe- 
lipe, 473;  San  Ildefonso,  101;  San  Juan,  35i;Taos,  374;  Tesu- 
que,  83;  Zia,  101;  Zuni,  1,463.  Nineteen  pueblos  in  all;  total 
population,  7,681. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  schools  in  connection  with  the 
agency : 

Government  day  schools,  with  average  attendance  for  quarter 
ending  June  30,  1893:  Santa  Clara,  12;  Laguna,  13;  Cochiti, 
5 ;  Zia,  31. 

Presbyterian  day  schools,  with  average  attendance  as  above: 
Isleta  (school  closed  part  of  quarter),  3;  Jemez,  22;  Lagura, 
15;  Zuni,  20. 

Catholic  day  schools,  with  average  attendance  as  above: 
Acoma,  20;  Pahuate  (Laguna),  21;  Jemez,  29;  San  Juan,  29; 
Taos,  28 ;  Santo  Domingo,  not  in  session.  Boarding  schools, 
with  average  attendance  as  above:  St.  Catherine's,  Santa  Fe, 
78;  Sisters  of  Loretto,  Bernalillo,  91. 

Eamona  boarding  school,  Santa  F6,  average  attendance  as 
above,  44. 

The  Jicarilla  Apaches,  whose  reservation  is  at  Dulce,  Rio 
Arriba  county,  New  Mexico,  number  847.  They  are  not  self- 
supporting,  but  receive  weekly  rations  and  annuity  goods.  About 
200  of  these  Indians  who  have  been  absent  from  the  reservation 
for  some  time  have  recently  returned.  There  are  256  children 
of  school  age,  but  there  is  no  school. 

Total  population,  Pueblos  and  Jicarillas,  8,528. 

Eespectfully, 

JOHN  L.  BULLIS, 
Capt.  24th  Infy.,  Actg.  Indian  Agent. 

The  Mescalero  Apaches  occupy  a  reservation  within  the 
boundaries  of  Dona  Ana  and  Lincoln  counties.  They  are  far 
removed  from  the  influences  of  the  predatory  tribes,  and  have 
not  given  any  trouble  since  the  early  '80s. 

The  Navajoes,  long  known  as  the  "pets  of  the  government,'' 
cut  a  very  small  figure  in  New  Mexico.  Their  reservation  oc- 
cupies 15,000  square  miles,  of  which  only  about  1,900  square 
miles  are  within  New  Mexico,  and  that  small  portion  is  confined 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


to  the  extreme  northwestern  corner.  These  Indians  own  2,000,- 
000  head  of  sheep,  a  couple  of  thousand  head  of  cattle;  the 
government  is  reclaiming  their  land  by  irrigation,  and  the  set- 
tler need  fear  no  incursion  from  them.  They  have  recently  been 
placed  under  the  charge  of  an  army  officer,  E.  H.  Plummer,  1st 
Lieutenant  10th  infantry,  and  are  perfectly  amenable  to  au- 
thority. 

It  may  be  said  in  this  connection  that  the  government  never 
took  a  wiser  step  than  to  remove  the  control  of  Indians  from 
civil  to  military  authority.  It  has  worked  wonders  in  New"  Mex- 
ico. The  officers  handle  the  Indians  with  a  certain  firmness  that 
quickly  begets  docility,  and  the  Indians  themselves  quickly  see 
that  they  fare  better. 


LIVE  STOCK. 


The  live  stock  interests  of  New  Mexico  have  considerably 
shrunk  in  the  past  five  years.  This  was  the  direct  result  of  false 
corporate  and  individual  economy.  The  speculators  overstocked 
the  ranges,  the  stockholders  of  the  large  cattle  companies  ex- 
pected immediate  and  too  large  returns  from  the  business,  and 
thus  destroyed  its  security.  Notwithstanding  this,  however,  all 
grades  and  classes  of  live  stock  are  rapidly  being  established  on  a 
sound  and  prosperous  basis.  The  good  grass  of  the  past  year  is 
enough  to  support  the  herds  and  flocks  in  good  condition  for  at 
least  two  years  more.  Even  if  no  rain  were  to  fall  during  the  next 
two  years,  from  Colorado  to  Mexico  the  valleys  and  plains  would 
be  one  waving  mass  of  grama  and  other  native  grasses.  A  pecu- 
liar property  of  this  grass  is  that  it  "cures'"  on  the  stalk  and 
all  over  the  snowless  plains  of  New  Mexico  makes  the  most  ex- 
cellent fodder  known.  This  grass  really  becomes  hay  while  on 
the  root,  and  does  not  fall  down  or  lie  on  the  ground.  It  affords 
pasture  all  the  year. 

Cattle. 

The  assessors'  returns  show  that  in  1892  there  were  1,041,- 
237  cattle  in  the  Territory,  of  an  assessed  value  of  $8,597,867. 
The  same  figures  for  1893  are:  cattle,  740,694;  value,  $5,129,- 
261. 

The  peculiar,  open,  sunny  weather  of  New  Mexico  makes  the 
best  conditions  for  stock  raising.  The  food  that  the  animal 
eats  is  not  used  up  in  producing  bodily  heat,  but  goes  to  make 
flesh.  It  is  estimated  that  under  similar  conditions  of  food 
scarcity  a  steer  will  live  twice  as  long  in  New  Mexico  as  in 
Wyoming  or  Montana,  for  the  reason  that,  requiring  less  heat, 
less  food  will  nourish  him. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION.  297 

These  facts  are  noted  not  because  of  their  inducement  to 
raise  stock  on  the  "open  range,"  for  the  palmy  days  of  the  cow- 
boy are  over,  but  because  they  bear  importantly  on  a  new  era 
of  beef  raising.  Adjacent  to  every  irrigable  area  is  a  great 
stretch  of  pasture  land,  which  can  be  utilized  in  connection 
with  the  farms.  Small,  well  selected  herds  of  beef  cattle  could 
be  turned  loose  on  these  ranges  and  allowed  to  mature,  then 
they  could  be  brought  into  the  home  inclosure  and  fattened  for 
market.  Ten  acres  on  a  well  managed  farm  can  be  easily  made 
to  produce  40  to  50  tons  of  alfalfa  hay.  This  fed  to  cattle 
before  shipment  will  bring  a  return  of  $100  per  acre.  By 
handling  stock  in  this  manner  proportionate  profits  can  be  real- 
ized on  a  larger  acreage. 

1/eather. 

The  growing  importance  and  security  of  the  live  stock  in- 
terest make  the  opportunity  for  a  leather  factory,  indeed  for 
several  of  them,  very  favorable.  A  peculiar  plant  known  as 
cafia-agria  is  indigenous  to  all  New  Mexico.  It  contains  an 
average  of  33  per  cent  of  tanuic  acid  and  is  cheaper  than  any 
other  tanning  agent  known.  By  a  combination  of  a  tannery 
with  a  manufactory  of  leather  goods,  the  whole  trade  of  the 
southwest  could  be  commanded.  As  things  stand  now  the  west- 
ern raw  hide  is  shipped  to  the  Atlantic  coast  at  a  very  heavy 
expense  for  freight.  Then  it  returns  to  the  West  in  the  shape 
.of  leather  and  leather  goods,  paying  a  higher  freight.  There 
is  no  earthly  use  to  pay  freight  for  over  5,000  miles  on  this 
merchandise.  Any  business  man  can  see  that  with  the  tanning 
for  his  leather  obtained  cheaper  than  anywhere  else  on  earth,  with 
his  hides  obtainable  without  freight  cost,  and  the  saving  made 
all  along  the  »line,  he  would  have  a  handicap  in  his  favor 
that  would  enable  him  to  laugh  at  trusts  or  any  other  eastern 
competition.  Besides  obtaining  cheaper  shoes,  leather,  etc., 
there  are  also  many  resultant  advantages  to  New  Mexico. 

Sheep  and  Wool. 
..In    1892,   according  to   the   assessors'   returns,   there   were 


:r»S  NEW  MEXICO. 


1,378,151  sheep  in  New  Mexico,  of  a  value  of  $1,850,962.  In 
1893  there  were  1,392,671  sheep,  worth,  according  to  assessment, 
$1,665,069.  It  is  safe  to  double  both  the  number  and  the  value 
of  the  sheep  as  returned  by  the  assessors.  The  product  of  wool 
and  mutton  is  therefore  very  large.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  the 
average  fleece  in  New  Mexico  is  five  pounds  to  the  sheep ;  the 
wool  clip  in  1893  in  this  Territory  was  about  12,000,000  pounds. 

During  the  past  year,  1893,  there  were  650,000  sheep  mar- 
keted from  the  Territory.  This  fact  alone  will  give  the  reader 
a  definite  idea  of  the  extent  of  this  industry.  The  possibilities 
are  simply  immense.  In  Texas,  J^ew  Mexico  and  Arizona  the 
flocks  amount  to  nearly  10,000,000  sheep.  In  New  Mexico  there 
is  an  abundance  of  clear  soft  water,  just  suitable  for  wool  wash- 
ing. The  freight  on  the  wool  in  the  grease  amounts  to  about 
3  cents  per  pound  from  New  Mexico  to  New  York.  If  this  wool 
were  handled  in  New  Mexico,  and  only  the  local  clip  were  ob- 
tainable, without  counting  the  wool  of  Texas  and  Arizona,  a  sav- 
ing of  $360,000  per  annum  could  be  made  on  freight  one  way 
on  the  raw  material.  Just  estimate  now  the  return  freight  on 
the  manufactured  articles,  and  it  will  be  seen  that  the  capital- 
ist or  corporation  that  has  the  sense  to  grasp  the  possibilities 
that  the  pure  water  of  New  Mexico  affords  can  command  the 
textile  trade  of  the  southwest,  perhaps  of  a  great  deal  of  the 
world.  Labor  is  cheap.  A  direct  route  will  soon  be  open  to 
two  deep  water  gulf  ports.  These  even  now  can  be  reached  by 
way  of  El  Paso.  With  good  wool,  pure  water,  quick  railroad 
connections  and  cheap  labor,  what  is  to  prevent  New  Mexico 
from  taking  a  leading  position  in  this  trade  ? 

Horses  and  mules  do  better  in  New  Mexico  than  any  other  place 
known.  Even  the  tireless  horses  of  the  Sahara  do  not  surpass 
them.  The  high  altitude  and  the  precipitous  upland  pastures 
develop  the  lungs.  The  tough,  nutritious  native  grasses  de- 
velop bone  and  muscle.  It  is  no  unfrequent  thing  for  a  man  to 
ride  or  drive  100  miles  per  day.  Good  drivers  find  no  difficulty 
in  doing  this.  The  air  is  so  pure,  the  pasturage  so  good,  that  few 
diseases  develop. 


RAILROADS. 


The  romantic  history  of  the  American  continent  is  nowhere 
more  striking  than  in  the  development  of  its  commercial  arter- 
ies. The  magical  projection  of  the  vast  American  system  of 
railroads  is  something  usually  taken  as  a  matter  of  course  and 
of  fact.  Few  ever  pause  to  think  what  a  tremendous  task  has 
been  accomplished.  Take  the  line  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  & 
Santa  Fe"  railroad.  It  had  its  birth  in  the  minds  of  a  few  Bos- 
ton philanthropists  whose  purposes  were  patriotically  bent  to- 
ward the  abolition  of  slavery.  It  grew,  under  great  odds  and 
at  the  cost  of  great  sacrifice,  until  it  covers  about  10,000 
miles  of  railway  and  is  the  greatest  and  most  popular  of  west- 
ern roads.  It  begins  at  Chicago,  stretches  thence  southwest- 
wardly  through  Illinois,  Missouri  and  Kansas  into  New  Mexico. 
From  Eaton  to  El  Paso  the  distance  is  greater  than  from  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.,  to  Boston,  Mass. ;  but  this  is  not  by  any  means  the 
extent  of  the  road  in  this  Territory.  At  Eaton  a  short  line  runs 
to  the  Blossburg  coal  mines,  at  Las  Vegas  another  runs  to  the 
Hot  Springs,  and  at  Lamy  Junction  another  side  line  branches 
out,  running  eighteen  miles  to  Santa  F6.  At  Albuquerque  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific,  which  for  all  practical  purposes  is  part  of 
the  Santa  Fe°s  main  system,  runs  westward  to  California,  con- 
necting direct  with  Los  Angeles  and  San  Francisco  and  all  in- 
termediate points.  From  Socorro  to  Magdalena,  a  distance  of 
twenty-seven  miles,  is  another  road;  from  San  Antonio  to 
Carthage  another;  while  from  Eincou  to  Silver  City,  taking 
Deming  en  route,  is  a  branch  -101  miles  long.  From  this  latter 
branch,  at  Nutt  station,  runs  another  branch  to  Lake  Valley, 
thirteen  miles.  The  Santa  F6  operates  therefore  857.1  miles  of 
standard  gauge  road  in  this  Territory  alone.  From  El  Paso  it 


•WO  NEW  MEXICO. 


runs  south  again  to  the  City  of  Mexico,  a  distance  of  1,9  <0 
miles,  and  has  also  pushed  another  branch  to  Guaymas,  on  the 
Gulf  of  California. 

A  glance  at  the  map  will  show  that  this  gigantic  construc- 
tion was  not  forced  by  competition,  but  is  the  result  of  wise 
foresight  and  a  general  disposition  to  advance  the  prosperity 
of  its  territory.  It  has  had  the  effect  of  civilizing  a  barbarous 
country  and  pacifying  the  most  savage  tribes  of  Indians.  Dur- 
ing the  thirty  odd  years  after  the  acquisition  of  this  Territory 
from  Mexico  the  United  States  expended  more  than  $200, 000, * 
000  in  Indian  wars  against  the  Apaches  and  Navajoes.  Since 
the  completion  of  the  present  system  of  this  road  how  changed 
is  all  this.  There  is  not  a  turbulent  tribe  or  a  single  renegade 
Indian  within  the  confines  of  New  Mexico.  This  for  the  rea- 
son that  the  railroad  facilities  made  it  impossible  for  the  sav- 
ages to  commit  depredations  unpunished.  The  day  when  these 
terrible  foes  could  sweep  through  the  country  unterrified  by 
the  power  of  the  government  is  past.  At  the  first  inkling  of  dis- 
order the  savages  would  find  themselves  hemmed  in  by  a  cordon 
of  troops  impossible  to  break.  All  this  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
&  Santa  Fe*  has  accomplished  in  building  its  New  Mexican 
lines,  without  a  cent  of  government  subsidy.  It  is  true  that 
the  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  a  line  now  controlled  by  the  Santa  Fe, 
has  a  valuable  land  grant,  but  the  main  system  of  683  miles  is 
the  result  of  private  enterprise,  and  the  management  deserves 
full  credit  for  its  energy,  perspicacity  and  public  spirit. 

Some  of  the  advantages  may  be  briefly  stated  as  follows: 
Beginning  at  Raton,  the  Gate  City,  the  Santa  Fe  route  has  the 
benefit  of  the  splendid  coal  mines  now  open  in  that  vicinity. 
It  is  also  one  of  the  best  lumber  and  mineral  regions  known. 
To  the  west  are  placers  and  lodes  of  unexampled  richness.  Then 
it  commands  the  commerce  of  the  great  Canadian  valley,  in- 
cluding the  counties  of  Colfax,  Mora,  San  Miguel  and  Guada- 
lupe.  South  of  this  region  it  enters  the  Rio  Grande  valley  at 
Glorieta,  and  thence  south  for  300  miles  has  undisputed  com- 
mand of  this  rich  and  fertile  area.  In  this  valley,  on  the  main 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  301 

line  to  El  Paso,  there  are  fifty-nine  cities  and  stations,  all  pour 
ing  their  commerce  over  the  road.    At  Cerrillos  are  coal,  silver 
and  gfold  mines  and  several  hundred  coke  ovens.     At  Santa  Fe 

c5 

a  large  commercial  and  passenger  traffic  is  secured.  Albuquer- 
que does  as  much  business  as  almost  any  town  in  Kansas  ex- 
cept Topeka,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  Las  Yegas,  further 
north.  From  Albuquerque  the  road  runs  through  a  country 
rich  as  the  valley  of  the  Nile  in  agricultural  products,  under- 
laid with  coal.  From  Socorro  to  Las  Cruces,  besides  fruit,  there 
are  heavy  shipments  of  ore  and  metals.  The  branch  lines 
penetrate  good  mining,  grazing  and  agricultural  districts. 

During  1892  the  shipments  of  fruit  by  express  from  this 
region  were  1,427,372  pounds.  During  the  past  year,  1893, 
the  express  shipments  of  fruit  will  exceed  1,500,000  pounds. 
The  exact  figures  have  not  been  tabulated  at  this  writing.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1893  7,200  cars,  containing  216,000  cattle,. were 
loaded  and  hauled  out  of  New  Mexico.  During  the  same  time 
150,000  sheep  were  shipped  by  the  Santa  Fe  railroad.  Neces- 
sarily no  account  can  be  taken  of  the  immense  amount  of  freight 
handled  in  and  out  of  the  Territory  to  supply  purely  mercantile 
purposes,  nor  can  the  amount  of  ore  and  metal  shipped  be  esti- 
mated at  this  date.  Up  to  August  31, 1893,  there  had  been  mined 
in  New  Mexico  and  shipped  over  the  Santa  F6  623,420  tons  of 
coal.  Since  that  date  the  mines  have  all  been  at  work  and  it  is  safe 
to  estimate  the  annual  shipment  at  the  same  proportion,  960,130 
tons.  There  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  actual  figures  will  show 
that  more  than  1,000,000  tons  of  coal  have  been  carried  out  of 
New  Mexico  over  this  one  road ;  but  taking  the  first  figures  given, 
at  an  average  of  twenty-five  tons  to  the  car  load  this  would 
be  38,405  cars  of  coal  originating  in  New  Mexico  and  shipped 
over  this  road  and  its  branches.  This  is  business  of  which  both 
the  road  and  the  Territory  can  be  proud.  President  J.  W. 
Reinhart  and  Vice-President  D.  B.  Robinson  can  well  be  proud 
of  the  showing  for  their  able,  energetic  and  prudent  manage- 
ment in  this  Territory.  The  Bureau  of  Immigration  corsiders 
the  Santa  Fe  the  friend  of  New  Mexico,  and  has  never  had  to 


NEW  MEXICO. 


palliate  any  of  those  extortionate  methods  that  characterize  the 
dealings  of  some  other  railroads  in  other  States.  It  can  assure 
the  immigrant  of  good  treatment  and  excellent  service. 

The  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  and  Santa  Fe  Southern. 

President  E.  T.  Jeffrey,  of  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande,  has 
pursued  a  policy  similar  to  the  Santa  F6  management.  Branch- 
ing from  Antonito,  a  few  miles  from  the  north  central  boundary 
of  New  Mexico,  are  two  roads,  one  descending  the  valley  of  the 
Rio  Grande  to  Espanola,  thirty-eight  miles  north  of  Santa  Fe, 
and  the  other  running  mostly  within  New  Mexico  to  Duraugo, 
Colo.  The  Espanola  branch  is  continued  into  Santa  F6  by 
means  of  the  Santa  Fe  Southern.  The  superintendent  and  gen- 
eral manager  of  this  road  is  Mr.  T.  J.  Helm,  of  Santa  Fe\  He 
has  worked  up  a  surprising  business.  During  1893,  when  all 
the  railroads  in  the  country  were  reducing  the  scope  of  their 
operations  in  order  to  curtail  expenses,  it  was  found  by  experi- 
ment that  the  business  over  the  Santa  Fe"  Southern  and  the 
Denver  &  Rio  Grande  branch  from  Antonito  was  of  such  a  profit- 
able character  that  no  reduction  of  its  operating  expenses  was 
permissible. 

The  Antonito-Espanola  division  as  yet  carries  little  or  no  ore; 
but  it  is  expected  that  next  year  the  business  will  be  trebled 
through  the  output  of  the  Taos  county  mines.  These  have  lately 
been  brought  to  prominent  notice  through  the  discoveries  near 
the  new  town  of  Amizett,  on  the  western  side  of  the  Rockies  near 
the  county  seat,  Fernandez  de  Taos.  Just  now  two  heavy  daily 
trains,  north  and  south,  are  run  over  this  road  for  the  purpose 
of  transporting  the  wool,  sheep,  cattle  and  agricultural  products 
of  this  region.  The  country  is  a  series  of  good,  cultivable  val- 
leys along  the  railroad,  with  lateral  valleys  of  immense  extent. 
The  famous  Chama  placers  and  lodes,  the  Taos  and  Rio  Arriba 
mica,  tin  and  precious  metal  mines,  indeed  the  wealth  of  north- 
western New  Mexico  is  directly  tributary  to  this  railroad. 

The  Union  Pacific. 

The  Union  Pacific  road  crosses  the  northeast  corner  of  the 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  303 

Territory,  on  its  route  from  Trinidad,  Colo./to  Fort  Worth, 
Tex.  It  traverses  the  best  sheep  country  now  known.  During 
1893  190,000  sheep  were  shipped  out  of  this  portion  of  New 
Mexico,  and  a  proportionate  number  of  cattle. 

The  Pecos  Valley. 

The  fierce  competition  between  railroads  and  the  growing 
necessity  of  quick  tide-water  communication  with  the  inland 
give  the  Pecos  Valley  road  a  peculiar  prominence  in  railroad 
economy.  At  present  it  runs  from  Pecos  Citv,  Tex.,  to  Eddy, 
N.  M.,  a  distance  of  ninety-seven  miles,  and  is  now  projected  and 
building  to  Roswell,  N.  M.,  eighty  miles  further.  The  road  is 
three  years  old,  and  its  business  has  doubled  each  year  of  its 
existence.  It  is  projected  to  join  with  the  Santa  Fe  at  some 
point  between  Bernal  and  Albuquerque.  The  peculiar  feature 
about  it  is  that  by  building  it  then  southeastwardly  to  San 
Angelo.  Tex.,  it  will  complete  the  shortest  inter-ocean  railroad 
in  the  world,  except  the  line  across  the  isthmus  of  Panama  or 
the  Nicaraguan  ship  railway,  if  that  scheme  is  ever  perfected. 
It  will  be  nearly  2,000  miles  shorter  than  the  Canadian  Pacific 
and  run  all  the  way  through  a  productive  country.  It  will 
shortly  be  completed  and  it  will  then  be  possible  to  carry  freight 
from  Pacific  coast  points  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  at  Velasco  or 
Galveston  by  the  shortest  possible  route  in  the  world.  The  im- 
portance of  this  road  as  a  mercantile  artery  is  equal  to  that  of 
the  Isthmian  railroads  or  canals  which  have  so  long  been  the 
dreams  of  commerce.  It  will  make  the  southwest  independent 
of  any  of  the  great  Atlantic  centers,  and  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant steps  in  the  development  of  the  West. 

Mr.  J.  J.  Hagerman,  builder  of  the  Colorado  Midland,  is  the 
projector  of  this  road,  and  is  pushing  the  scheme  as  rapidly  as 
possible  to  completion ;  he  is  the  president  of  it  and  Hon.  C.  B. 
Eddy,  one  of  the  brightest  minds  in  the  country,  is  vice-president. 

The  Southern  Pacific. 

This  great  road  crosses  New  Mexico  in  its  southern  tier  of 
counties  from  west  to  east,  terminating  at  El  Paso.  It  com- 


304  NEW  MEXICO. 


mands  a  territory  of  peculiar  richness  in  mineral,  stock  and 
agricultural  resources.  It  requires,  however,  a  considerable 
capital  to  develop  them.  For  this  reason  but  little  of  the  great 
business  of  this  road  originates  in  New  Mexico.  The  possi- 
bilities of  the  future  are  however  promising. 

The  Arizona  and  New  Mexico. 

This  road  runs  from  Lordsburg,  Grant  county,  N.  M.,  to  the 
noted  copper  smelters  at  Clifton,  Arizona.  It  strikes  the  rich 
valley  of  the  Gila,  134  miles  northwest  of  Lordsburg,  whence 
connections  can  be  made  by  stage  with  many  points  in  the 
northern  part  of  Grant  and  the  southwestern  part  of  Socorro 
counties. 

Railroad  Prospects. 

The  great  necessity  now  is  a  road  to  be  built  from  central 
New  Mexico  into  the  San  Juan  country.  This  is  the  ideal  field 
of  irrigation,  and  is  the  richest  coal  country  in  the  United 
States.  It  was  thought  during  1892  that  such  a  road  was  as- 
sured but  the  stringency  of  money  has  caused  its  promotion  to 
languish. 

In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  Territory  the  Hock  Island 
has  a  large  force  of  engineers  and  surveyors  in  the  field  work- 
ing on  the  line  of  a  road  into  the  Taos  valley.  The  officers  are 
very  reticent  about  their  ultimate  plans  and  little  more  can  now 
be  done  than  herald  the  fact  that  the  road  is  contemplated.  It 
will  probably  run  from  Liberal,  Kansas,  via  Maxwell  City  and 
Elizabeth  town  into  the  great  Taos  valley  gardens  and  mines. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  Territory  the  officers  of  the  Mor- 
mon church  hold  a  concession  from  the  Mexican  government 
for  a  road  from  Deming  into  the  northern  and  central  States  of 
the  Mexican  Eepublic.  Over  1,200  miles  of  road-bed  are  con- 
templated south  of  the  Mexican  border,  and  within  sixty  miles 
of  Deming  there  are  over  12,000  Mormon  colonists.  The  per- 
sistence and  energy  with  which  the  Mormons  pursue  their 
purposes  warrant  the  certain  prediction  that  this  road  will  be 
built.  It  will  open  a  very  rich  country  to  commerce. 


HOT  SPRINGS. 


The  geologic  processes  are  so  recent  in  New  Mexico  that 
nearly  every  county  in  the  Territory  has  its  healing,  hot  or 
mineral  springs.  The  purpose  of  this  article  is  only  to  give  a 
feW  facts  concerning  the  most  accessible  resorts.  Many  im- 
portant places  are  necessarily  omitted  because  the  average 
tourist  would  be  unable  to  visit  them. 

In  geographical  order  the  first  to  be  mentioned  are 

Folsom  Hot  Springs, 

situated  near  Alps,  a  station  on  the  Denver,  Fort  Worth  & 
Texas  railroad,  fifty-nine  miles  south  of  Trinidad,  on  the  sum- 
mit of  the  Baton  Kange,  close  to  the  extinct  volcano  of  Capu- 
lin,  in  Colfax  county,  near  the  northern  boundary  of  the  Terri- 
tory. The  altitude  is  about  6,500  feet,  and  the  location  is  very 
beneficial  for  consumptives.  They  have  fine  medicinal  proper- 
ties and  promise  to  become  of  prominence. 

J/as  Vegas  Hot  Springs. 

In  practically  the  same  latitude,  but  on  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
&  Santa  Fe"  railroad,  the  main  continental  line  of  travel,  in  the 
beautiful  valley  of  the  Gallinas  is  a  large  group  of  hot  springs. 
Every  one  of  these  springs  has  a  peculiar  medicinal  property. 
Any  one  who  drinks  and  bathes  in  these  waters  under  proper 
direction  cannot  fail  to  be  benefited.  The  sick  are  healed  of 
their  ailments,  and  the  weary  and  jaded  rejuvenated.  The 
average  temperature  of  the  dozen  or  so  springs  is  140  degrees 
F.,  the  altitude  6,726,  and  a  general  analysis  of  the  waters 
shows  them  to  contain  to  the  gallon: 

Grains. 

Carbonate  of  calcium 0.89 

Carbonate  of  magnesium 0.15 

Carbonate  of  sodium..  8.38 

Carbonate  of  potassium 0,28 

39 


306  NEW  MEXICO. 


Sulphate  of  sodium 3.45 

Chloride  of  sodium 14.68 

Silica 3.50 

Alumina 0.10 

Volatile  and  organic  matter 0.32 

Carbonate  of  lithium Trace 

Bromide  of  sodium. . Trace 

Total 31.65 

In  its  chemical  composition  this  water  resembles,  in  many 
respects,  the  waters  of  the  famous  hot  springs  of  Teplitz,  in 
Austria,  while  in  its  two  chief  active  constituents,  the  carbon- 
ate and  sulphate  of  sodium,  it  may  recall  the  somewhat  anala- 
gous,  though  very  much  stronger,  waters  of  Karlsbad,  justifying, 
in  a  degree,  the  name  often  given  it  of  "dilute  Karlsbad  water." 
This  dilution,  however,  is  more  frequently  a  benefit  than  a 
disadvantage,  for  it  permits  a  larger  amount  of  the  water  to  be 
taken,  thus  securing  the  valuable  solvent  and  eliminating  pow- 
ers of  the  water  itself,  together  with  the  remedial  virtues  of  its 
mineral  constituents. 

These  figures  are  taken  from  a  report  made  by  Dr.  Walter 
8.  Haines,  of  Eush  Medical  College,  for  the  Santa  Fe  road. 

Ojo  Caliente  Springs, 

the  property  of  the  Hon.  A.  Joseph,  are  situated  on  Ojo  Ca- 
liente creek,  in  the  southwestern  portion  of  Taos  county,  and 
easy  of  access  from  Caliente  station,  on  the  Denver  &  Kio 
Grande  railroad,  twelve  miles  distant. 

The  country  surrounding  these  springs  consists  of  hills  with 
volcanic  dikes  and  mesas,  traversed  by  a  very  coarse-grained 
granite,  the  feldspar  and  quartz  forming  masses,  and  the  musco- 
vite  (mica)  large  plates  several  inches  thick.  The  springs  are 
at  an  altitude  of  about  6,292  feet  arid  have  a  temperature  from 
114  to  108  degrees  F.  The  water  contains  in  100,000  parts: 

Carbonate  of  sodium 196.95 

Carbonate  of  calcium  and  magnesium 6.25 

Sulphate  of  potassium 5.34 

Sulphate  of  sodium 19.23 

Chloride  of  sodium .' 39.78 

A  very  good  hotel,  with  ample  bath  accommodations,  is  kept 
by  the  owner. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  307 

Jemez  Hot  Springs 

are  in  Benalillo  county,  in  San  Diego  canon,  being  a  branch 
of  the  Jemez  creek,  which  nine  miles  south  connects  with 
another  branch  running  through  Guadalupe  canon.  To  reach 
them  one  has  to  travel  from  Santa  Fe  by  wagon  road  to 
Pena  Blanca,  twenty-seven  miles  distant  west,  crossing  the 
Eio  Grande  there  and  thence  keeping  a  western  course 
through  the  foothills  of  the  Valles  mountains  to  Jemez  pue- 
blo, twenty-six  miles;  from  there  it  is  thirteen  miles  to  the 
first  group  of  springs,  at  Archuleta  postoffice;  or  from  Berna- 
lillo,  on  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railroad,  also  by 
wagon  road  past  Santa  Ana  and  Zia  (or  Silla)  pueblos  to  San 
Ysidro,  and  thence  to  Jemez  pueblo,  where  this  road  and  the 
former  join,  distant  twenty-seven  miles. 

Both  roads  are  sandy,  but  the  latter  specially  so,  running  for 
about  thirteen  miles  through  Jemez  canon. 

A  much  better  road,  running  from  Archuleta  north  and 
northeast  through  the  mountains  and  ending  at  Espanola,  has 
recently  been  constructed. 

There  are  several  groups  of  hot  springs  in  San  Diego  canon, 
but  those  at  Archuleta,  and  two  miles  further  north,  are  most 
frequented.  At  Archuleta  are  ample  hotel  accommodations. 
Many  health  seekers  prefer  the  "upper  group"  and  camp  there. 
At  both  places  the  scenery  is  enchanting  and  the  atmosphere 
dry  and  healthy. 

The  lower  springs,  at  Archuleta  postoffice,  have  an  altitude  of 
6,620  feet  above  sea  level.  Limestone  and  sandstone  of  the 
carboniferous  age  form  the  sides  of  the  canon,  1,000  feet  high, 
often  changed  from  their  original  position  by  volcanic  mate- 
rials. There  are  here: 

1.  A  geyser,  with  an  opening  of  one  square  foot,  a  tem- 
perature of  168  degrees  F.,  running  about  fifty  gallons  a  minute, 
with  escaping  carbonic  acid  and  deposits  of  white  carbonate  of 
lime. 

2.  A  spring  of  130  degrees  F.,  with  free  carbonic  acid  and 
red  brown  deposits. 


:>ns  NEW  MEXICO. 


3.  A  spring  119  degrees  F.,  with  "alga"  ( crytogamic  water 
plants )  ;  a  black  sulphite  of  iron  forms  on  them,  a  result  of  the 
action  of  sulphureted  hydrogen  upon  carbonate  of  iron  and 
oxide  of  iron  in  the  alga.  The  sulphureted  hydrogen  is  a  prod- 
uct of  the  reduction  of  gypsum. 

There  are  more  springs  with  a  temperature  from  102  to  108 
degrees  F.  The  total  salts  in  100  parts  of  water  amount  to 
0.2401  parts  of  sodium,  lime  and  magnesia.  The  springs  are 
especially  beneficial  to  rheumatic  diseases. 

The  upper  group,  two  miles  from  Archuleta,  in  the  same 
canon,  consists  of  forty-two  springs.  Their  elevation  is  about 
(>,740  feet  above  sea  level,  and  their  temperature  varies  from 
70  to  105  degrees  F. 

They  flow  from  caves  of  carbonate  of  lime,  some  of  which  are 
twenty  feet  in  height.  Combined  they  form  a  dam  or  dike 
thirty  feet  high  and  200  feet-long.  The  springs  contain  .3726 
parts  solids  in  100  parts  of  water,  mostly  chloride  of  sodium 
and  sulphate  and  carbonate  of  soda,  lime  and  magnesia.  They 
greatly  resemble  the  famous  Marienbad. 

Besides  the  hot  springs,  north  of  the  upper  group  are  cold 
mineral  springs.  Half  way  between  the  two  groups  is  an  ex- 
tensive ruined  pueblo. 

Cherryville  Springs. 

In  Socorro  county,  at  Cherryville,  is  the  next  occurrence  of 
noted  springs.  These  are  found  near  the  head  of  the  Canada 
or  falls  of  the  Alamosa,  whence  Geronimo  started  out  on  his 
famous  raid.  They  are  accessible  by  stage  from  Engle,  a  sta- 
tion on  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  F6  railroad.  They  are 
on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Black  Kange.  The  temperature  is 
130  degrees  F.  and  the  altitude  B,540. 

Gila  Hot  Springs.  • 

In  the  southwestern  part  of  Socorro  county,  on  the  west  of  the 
Gila,  or  Diamond  creek,  as  it  is  called,  is  a  group  of  springs,  at 
•VHo  feet  altitude,  that  are  easily  reached  by  wagon  from  Sil- 


Cfl 

I 

s, 

0) 


BY  THE  BUREAU  or  IMMIGRATION. 


ver  City.  The  temperature  is  130,  and  they  carry  similar  in- 
gredients to  the  Jemez  springs. 

Apache  Tajoe  Springs. 

•  Four  miles  from  White  Water,  on  the  Atchison,  Topeka  & 
Santa  F6  railroad,  are  also  found  some  good  springs,  of  97  de- 
grees F.  They  are  in  Grant  county,  thirty  miles  north  of 
Deming. 

Hudson's  Springs. 

Twenty-four  miles  north  from  Deming  and  within  three  miles 
of  Hudson  station,  on  the  Santa  Fe"  road,  are  several  good 
springs.  These  springs  are  widely  known  and  much  frequent- 
ed, both  on  account  of  their  medicinal  properties  and  the  lovely 
climate  and  beautiful  scenery. 

The  average  temperature  of  the  springs  is  130  degrees  F., 
and  their  altitude  5,782  feet  above  sea  level.  The  mainspring 
is  in  a  mound  of  soda,  lime  and  magnesia,  in  the  center  of 
which  is  a  large  depression  containing  the  permanently  boiling 
water,  which  has  effected  many  cures  of  rheumatism,  kidney 
and  blood  diseases.  The  water  contains,  in  one  gallon,  the  fol- 
lowing solids: 

Grains. 

Silica 1.552 

Alumina  and  oxide  of  irou 0.630 

Carbonate  of  lime 4.448 

Carbonate  of  magnesia 2.624 

Sulphate  of  soda  and  potassium 13.547 

Chloride  of  soda 2.286 

24.987 

Some  other  undeveloped  springs  are  about  three  miles  north 
of  Hudson's  Hot  Springs. 

It  remains  to  be  said  that  close  to  the  western  boundary  of 
the  Territory  are  several  other  locations  of  hot  springs,  of  which 
one  is  about  ten  miles  southwest  of  Zuni  and  one  in  the  valley 
of  the  San  Francisco  river,  the  latter  with  an  altitude  of  5,630 
feet  above  sea  level  and  an  average  temperature  of  84  degrees 
F.,  largely  used  by  the  Indians  and  the  people  of  the  vicinity 
respectively. 


310  NEW  MEXICO. 


Spring, 

in  the  foot  hills  of  the  Santa  F6  range,  about  three  miles  east 
of  Santa  F6,  is  of  cold  water,  but  remarkable  for  its  chemical 
constituents.  These  are: 

Soda 0.538 

Carbonate  of  calcium 1.538 

Magnesium 0.605 

Sulphate  of  calcium 0.050 

Sodium 0.225 

Chloride  of  sodium . .  . .  0.193 


Total  solids  in  1,000  parts  of  water 3.813 

as  appears  from  an  analysis  made  by  Prof.  Clark,  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institute.  The  composition  of  the  water  renders  it  espe- 
cially useful  in  diseases  of  the  bladder. 


STAPLE  PRODUCTS. 


Every  State,  every  people  have  some  product  in  the  culture 
of  which  they  stand  preeminent.  New  Mexico  has  many.  At 
the  World's  Fair  this  Territory  exhibited  and  took  the  prize  for 
the  best  wheat  in  the  wide  world.  Russia  took  first  prize  for 
oats  and  New  Mexico  second.  New  Mexican  apples  also  sur- 
passed all  competitors.  Now  one  thing  must  be  remembered, 
the  specimens  which  took  these  prizes  were  of  course  selected 
with  great  care  by  every  exhibitor.  Had  there  been  a  prize  for 
general  excellence  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  New  Mexico  would 
have  taken  it  beyond  doubt;  and  this  is  said  with  a  full  appre- 
ciation of  the  fact  that  the  New  Mexico  exhibit  was  not  as 
large  and  as  varied  as  it  should  have  been. 

The  purpose  of  this  paper  is  to  notice  a  few  products  of  great 
importance  in  New  Mexico,  but  little  known  in  the  outside 
world. 

Alfalfa. 

'The  eastern  farmer  would  consider  $10  and  $12  per  ton 
for  hay  exorbitant,  and  at  the  utmost  two  tons  a  big  crop  per 
acre.  Usually  such  a  yield  is  only  attainable  on  artificially 
fertilized  ground.  Take  the  length  and  breadth  of  New  Mex- 
ico, and  alfalfa  will  average  five  tons  per  acre  and  over  $12  per 
ton.  This  price  of  course  is  above  the  average  of  other  States 
and  Territories,  but  is  a  very  conservative  estimate  of  the  terri- 
torial market,  and  it  will  continue  as  long  as  it  pays  to  feed 
stock  in  this  sunny  climate,  or  to  run  its  productive  mines. 

A  keen  observer  of  western  life  says  "alfalfa  is  the  saving 
clause  in  the  constitution  of  the  arid  West."  It  is  not  only  the 
best  reclaimer  of  wild  land  bat  it  is  the  best  fertilizer  known. 
It  is  a  perennial  species  of  clover,  and  in  Europe  is  commonly 


NEW  MEXICO. 


known  as  "lucerne."  When  first  planted,  and  for  about  a 
month  afterwards,  it  is  a  tender  crop  and  may  be  drowned  out 
or  burned  up  very  readily.  Once,  however,  that  it  makes  a 
"stand"  it  is  almost  impossible  to  kill  it.  The  roots  penetrate 
dozens  of  feet,  and  open  the  soil  to  the  healthy  influence  of 
light  and  air.  To  break  an  alfalfa  field  for  a  new  crop  the 
ploughshare  must  sink  as  deeply  as  possible.  The  soil  is  then 
filled  with  a  multitude  of  hollow  roots,  from  whose  decomposi- 
tion as  well  as  the  large  amount  of  air  a  high  percentage  of 
nitrogen  is  furnished  to  the  succeeding  crop. 

Its  culture  is  simple.  After  the  seed  has  been  once  drilled 
into  a  thoroughly  irrigated  soil,  the  crop  should  be  left  alone 
until  it  is  at  least  six  or  eight  inches  high.  During  this  time 
the  roots  will  sink  as  the  moisture  near  the  surface  recedes. 
The  next  irrigation  should  be  thorough,  and  as  the  upper  soil 
has  been  rendered  very  friable  by  the  plant  itself  the  water  will 
sink  rapidly.  In  from  two  to  four  months  after  planting,  ac- 
cording to  climate,  the  hay  will  be  ready  for  cutting,  and  the 
first  season  the  cultivator  can  rely  on  about  one  ton  per  acre. 
Every  succeeding  season  it  should  be  cut  from  three  to  six 
times.  As  soon  as  the  plant  flowers  out  well  it  is  ready  for 
harvest  and  the  reapers  should  start  in. 

To  get  a  good  stand  thirty  to  thirty- five  pounds  of  seed  and 
about  a  bushel  of  oats  should  be  sown  on  well  ploughed  and 
watered  ground.  The  oats  will  spring  up  rapidly  and  shade 
the  young  and  tender  shoots.  In  the  protection  .of  this  shade 
the  plant  will  establish  itself,  and  after  the  first  cutting  will 
choke  out  the  oats.  From  that  on  the  alfalfa  will  take  care  of 
itself;  and  will  kill  all  weeds  within  its  influence  like  poison. 
Alfalfa  is  a  good  crop  for  the  novice  in  irrigation.  There  is 
little  danger  of  his  failure  if  he  follows  these  hints  and  the  gen- 
eral practice  of  his  neighbors ;  besides,  its  product  is  as  good  as 
so  much  cash. 

%  Potatoes. 

The  honor  of  being  the  home  of  that  valuable  plant  the  white 
or  Irish  potato  has  been  claimed  several  times,  and  is  a  ques- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  313 

tion  that  persons  with  a  reputation  for  exact  statement  do  not 
care  to  answer.  Whether  or  not  New  Mexico  can  claim  this 
honor  need  not  be  discussed  here.  There  are,  however,  a  few 
well  known  facts  tKat  lead  to  the  belief  that  the  potato  is  a  crop 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  arid  region.  It  loves  a  warm,  mellow 
and  rather  dry  soil.  It  conserves  all  the  moisture  attainable  in 
its  edible  roots,  and  therefore  it  is  apparent  that  if  the  soil  is 
wet  and  soggy  so  will  be  the  potatoes  grown  on  it. 

The  modern  size  and  flavor  of  the  potato  is  the  result  of  300 
years  of  careful  selection  and  attention  given  by  farmers  to  its 
growth.  New  Mexico  has  a  natural  wonder  to  some  in  its  wild 
potatoes.  In  Valencia,  Bernalillo  and  Socorro  this  tuber  is  found 
in  great  abundance  in  its  wild  state.  The  boys  dig  and  eat  it 
raw.  They  say  it  has  a  very  crisp,  rather  sweet  taste.  The 
ideas  that  present  themselves  to  a  careful  observer  of  this  fact 
are  rather  startling.  All  the  country  in  which  these  wild  pota- 
toes are  found  was  once  covered  with  an  enormous  population, 
the  latest  tradition  concerning  whom  is  that  they  went  to  the 
assistance  of  Montezuma's  beleaguered  capital  and  never  re- 
turned. Therefore  for  nearly  400  years  at  least  these  roots 
have  been  growing  wild  in  the  midst  of  the  arid  region.  The 
general  average  elevation  of  these  plains  is  over  5,000  feet. 
The  rainfall  will  not  exceed  thirteen  or  fourteen  inches  per  an- 
num. The  roots  will  average  nearly  two  inches  long  and  near- 
ly an  inch  thick.  They  are  somewhat  irregular  in  size  and  ap- 
pearance. Now  the  inference  from  all  this  is  that  if  the  potato 
has  subsisted  by  natural  propagation  for  hundreds  of  years  in 
an  arid  section  there  is  certainly  good  reason  to  experiment  with 
the  cultivated  tuber.  These  seedling,  wild  potatoes  have  pre- 
served a  splendid  flavor;  have  a  respectable  size;  they  grow 
without  attention  or  irrigation;  then  why  should  not  their  cul- 
ture be  encouraged. 

The  first  potatoes  successfully  raised  in  the  arid  region  ma- 
tured at  Greeley,  Colorado.  It  is  a  peculiar  fact,  as  any  of  the 
old  Greeley  colonists  will  tell,  that  the  plentitude  of  the  potato 
crop  is  in  direct  ratio  to  the  scarcity  of  water.  For  instance, 


40 


814  NEW  MEXICO. 


during  the  years  of  great  floods  in  the  streams  and  ditches  there 
are  fewer  tons  of  potatoes  raised  than  during  the  years  when 
everybody  is  afraid  that  the  crops  are  ruined  by  drought.  Some 
of  the  shrewder  farmers  there  have  grasped  the  lesson,  irrigate 
scantily,  and  always  have  big  crops  of  large  potatoes. 

As  high  as  900  bushels  of  potatoes  per  acre-have  been  raised  in 
this  region.  It  was  somewhat  over  this  figure  that  took  the 
American  Agriculturist  prize  in  1890.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the 
yield  will  run  between  250  and  300  bushels  per  acre.  That  it  does 
not  approach  nearer  the  higher  figure  is  because  the  farmers 
do  not  seed  heavily  enough.  This  is  an  important  hint.  Po- 
tatoes will  run  steadily,  even  in  the  worst  times,  at  $1.00  per 
cwt.  or  60  cents  a  bushel.  This  will  give  a  gross  return  of 
$200  per  acre.  Deduct  from  this  say  $50  per  acre  for  expense 
and  the  farmer  will  have  a  very  neat  profit.  These  figures 
should  be  reached  by  every  farmer  if  he  pay  attention  to  seed- 
ing, cultivating  and  irrigating.  It  is  accomplished  every  year 
by  every  farmer  who  comprehends  the  plain  principles  of  potato 
culture. 

It  is  very  hard  to  formulate  rules  for  irrigating  potatoes. 
There  are  really  only  two  rules  and  these  are  constantly  modi- 
fied by  experience.  Potatoes  should  be  irrigated  scantily,  and 
should  not  be  irrigated  at  all  while  the  flower  is  blooming  and 
the  apples  forming.  Seeding,  on  these  deep,  friable  soils,  should 
be  heavy. 

Another  thing  that  has  been  learned  by  experience  is  that 
crops  should  be  alternated  to  get  the  best  results.  Alfalfa 
should  be  run  say  three  years,  potatoes  two  and  wheat  one  year 
on  the  same  land.  Some  more  profitable  vegetable  may  be 
substituted  for  wheat  at  the  option  of  the  farmer.  Alfalfa  is 
the  great  regenerator  of  soils.  Its  deep  roots  ventilate  and 
enrich  the  earth.  Potatoes  following  alfalfa  yield  phenomenal 
crops. 

Sugar  Beets. 

Sugar  beets  are  generally  classed  among  the  exotic  plants  of 
Southern  Europe.  Recent  inquiry,  however,  would  lead  to  the 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  315 


conclusion  that  this  idea  is  erroneous  in  that  it  does  not  fully 
express  the  classification  of  this  wonderful  sugar  maker.  It 
should  more  properly  be  classed  as  an  arid  region  plant.  It 
thrives  best  with  scanty  irrigation,  has  a  long  tap  root — one 
fourteen  feet  long  was  shown  at  the  last  Paris  Exposition  — 
and  is  a  great  air  feeder. 

There  is  only  one  rule  by  which  to  irrigate  this  plant.  Do 
not  force  the  bulbs  to  great  size  by  plentiful  watering.  The 
ideal  weight  of  the  beet  is  between  twenty  and  twenty-five 
ounces.  A  study  of  the  table  given  later  will  show  the  reason 
of  this.  Big,  pulpy  beets  do  not  make  sugar.  It  is  the  hard, 
compact,  slow  growing  bulb  that  stores  in  its  veins  the  greatest 
amount  of  saccharine  matter;  and  this  for  the  reason  that  sun- 
shine is  the  principal  agent  in  making  the  sugary  particles. 

It  sounds  rather  big  to  say  that  a  farmer  in  this  arid  region 
can  raise  a  ton  of  sugar  per  acre,  and  this  with  certainty  and 
small  expense.  This,  however,  is  only  half  of  what  can  be 
done.  Herewith  is  clipped  from  Bulletin  No.  36,  Division  of 
Chemistry,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  1893,  the  tabula- 
tions of  official  tests  and  experiments  made  in  New  Mexico  un- 
der the  auspices  of  Dr.  Harvey  W.  Wiley,  chemist  department 
and  director  of  sugar  experiment  stations.  The  table  is  clipped 
verbatim  et  literatim  from  page  19  of  the  above  cited  bulletin. 


3ir> 


NEW  MEXICO. 


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BY    THE    BUEEAU    OF    IMMIGRATION.  317 

In  the  first  place,  these  figures  show  the  highest  average 
production,  sugar  percentage  and  purity  of  any  place  in  the 
known  world.  France  and  Germany  are  satisfied  with  8  to  10 
per  cent  of  sugar.  In  the  northern  section  of  the  Territory, 
which  is  embraced  in  the  first  half  of  the  table,  there  is  an  aver- 
age of  17.18;  in  the  southern  part  of  15.34.  The  reason  that 
there  is  a  falling  off  in  the  south  is  that  the  beets  raised  were 
too  big.  They  were  irrigated  too  much.  It  will  be  further  ob- 
served that  in  the  northern  portion  eleven  ounce  beets  yielded 
2,237  pounds  of  sugar  to  the  acre;  in  another  instance  eleven 
ounce  beets  made  3,409  pounds  of  sugar  per  acre. 

Fruit. 

Fruit  may  be  considered  as  the  most  profitable  and  best 
product  of  the  Territory.  The  methods  of  culture  and  prices 
realized  have  been  fully  treated  in  the  preceding  chapters. 

Cana-agria. 

This  new  tanning  agent  has  been  considered  in  full  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  this  book.  The  latest  prices  quoted  in  New  York 
are  $50  per  dried  ton,  or,  as  it  takes  three  tons  of  green  to  make 
one  dry,  $16.66  for  the  green  root.  The  Agricultural  College 
has  lately  demonstrated  that  this  plant  yields  from  four  to  five 
fold  more  under  irrigation  than  when  growing  wild  on  dry 
land ;  and  the  artificial  watering  does  not  affect  the  tanning  con- 
tents of  the  root.  The  culture  is  simple.  Small  roots  are  thrown 
at  intervals  of  about  six  inches  or  a  foot  into  an  open  plough 
furrow.  This  should  be  done  in  the  fall.  With  the  first  spring 
rains  the  plant  will  sprout.  Afterwards  it  is  only  necessary  to 
irrigate  slightly  whenever  the  plant  seems  to  suffer.  In  the  fall 
following  the  planting  it  will  be  found  that  the  small  roots,  not 
bigger  than  a  man's  little  finger,  have  grown  five  to  eight  inches 
long  and  they  are*  surrounded  by  half  a  dozen  subsidiary 
roots.  The  plant  is  a  true  tuber  and  multiplies  itself  with  the 
fecundity  natural  to  that  family.  Cana-agria  will  easily  yield 
twenty  tons  to  the  acre,  and  at  the  prices  above  quoted  the 
farmer  can  see  how  profitable  a  crop  it  is. 


PROPERTY. 


The  appended  table  will  give  a  complete  exhibit  of  the  prop- 
erty of  the  Territory  from  a  taxation  or  revenue  stand-point. 
It  is  necessary,  however,  to  point  out  that  by  acts  of  the  30th 
Legislature,  1892,  railroads  and  irrigation  ditches  that  are  com- 
menced or  improved  during  six  years  from  1892  shall  be  ex- 
empt from  all  taxation  for  a  similar  period  of  six  years.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  in  the  earlier  pages  of  this  book  it  was 
shown  that  the  average  mortgage  value  of  a  farm  in  New  Mex- 
ico was  considerably  over  $4,000.  Consider  that  during  the 
next  year  the  titles  to  large  areas  of  land,  held  under  Spanish 
and  Mexican  grant  titles,  will  be  confirmed,  and  further  that  these 
are  the  very  choicest  lands  on  the  continent.  The  situation  then 
is  just  this:  New  Mexico  has  the  largest,  best  and  most  compact 
areas  of  land  in  which  to  make  corporate  investments.  No  irriga- 
tion scheme  can  acquire  sufficient  land  under  the  United  States 
land  laws  to  make  their  investment  secure.  Here,  by  purchasing 
the  confirmed  title  of  a  large  grant,  a  corporation  can  command 
and  own  sufficient  land  to  make  their  investment  a  good  one. 
Besides  this  the  irrigation  canals  that  carry  the  water,  the  rail- 
roads necessary  to  carry  the  new  and  growing  commerce  will 
be  free  of  taxes.  No  such  opportunities  exist  in  other  States. 
This  is  one  of  the  things  in  which  New  Mexico  excels.  She  is 
always  glad  not  only  to  welcome  investors,  but  to  assist  them  in 
every  way  possible.  Her  tax  laws,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  fore- 
going, are  very  liberal ;  she  is  the  only  Territory  in  which  large 
areas  of  land  can  be  procured  under  private  title ;  the  average 
value  of  her  farms  is  very  high,  and  the  spirit  of  her  people 
very  liberal  and  just.  The  foregoing  pages  deal  with  our 
mineral  resources  very  fully. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION. 


319 


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HISTORICAL 


The  honor  of  the  first  discovery  or  ex- 
ploration of  New  Mexico  is  involved  in 
doubt.  Most  historians  assert  that  Alvar 
Nunez  Cabeza  de  Yaca,  treasurer  of  the 
expedition  of  PamphilodeNarvaez,  sent  in 
1527  to  conquer  and  colonize  the  main- 
land of  Florida,  was  the  first  European 
who  viewed  its  wide  valleys  and  plains, 
saw  and  reported  on  its  "fixed  habita- 
tions" or  pueblos,  and  the  character  of  the 
aboriginal  people.  So  eminent  an  author- 
ity as  Prof.  Ad.  F.  Bandelier,  however, 
roundly  asserts  this  to  be  untrue,  and  that  Friar  Marcus  de 
Niza,  a  Franciscan  monk,  was  the  first  white  man  who  entered 
the  Territory.  The  fact,  however,  remains  that  there  is  no  more 
unique  or  romantic  character  in  the  annals  of  exploration  than 
Cabeza  de  Vaca.  His  name  is  inseparably  connected  with  the 
traditions  of  New  Mexico,  and  a  few  words  concerning  his  career 
will  be  timely  and  interesting. 

A  Wonderful  Character. 

Early  in  the  Florida  expedition  dangers  and  difficulties  mul- 
tiplied around  the  little  band.  Narvaez  was  an  arrogant, -in- 
competent man.  While  proceeding  along  the  Gulf  coast  in 
open  boats,  having  selected  the  strongest  rowers  for  himself,  he 
coolly  abandoned  the  others,  saying  the  time  had  come  when  it 
was  every  man  for  himself.  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  compatriots 
were  wrecked.  Some  survived,  among  them  the  leader.  They 
were  thrown,  almost  naked,  on  the  shore,  captured  by  the  In- 
dians and  reduced  to  slavery.  Of  this  boat  load  he  alone  escaped 


322  NEW  MEXICO. 


and  gradually  made  his  way  westward  from  tribe  to  tribe,  serv- 
ing as  a  slave.  Daring  this  journey  he  was  reduced  to  the 
greatest  extremities. 

About  midway  on  the  Gulf  coast,  and  somewhere  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Mississippi,  he  met  three  of  his  comrades 
in  arms.  These  were  Alonzo  de  Castillo,  Andres  Dorantes  and 
a  negro  named  Estevancio  or  Stephen,  who  afterwards  accom- 
panied Friar  Marcus  on  his  explorations. 

Shortly  after  this  Cabeza  de  Vaca  effected  a  cure  of  one  of 
the  Indians.  His  fame  then  spread  abroad,  and  suppliants  of 
his  power  multiplied  so  greatly  that  the  three  others  were 
pressed  into  the  service.  Speaking  of  these  experiences  he 
quaintly  says:  "Although  in  being  venturesome  and  bold  in 
the  performance  of  cures  I  greatly  excelled,  no  one  whom  we 
treated  but  told  us  he  felt  well."  He  spent  eight  months  with 
this  tribe;  and  it  is  pathetic  to  read  his  account  of  his  good 
luck  when  he  could  secure  a  hide  to  scrape  for  his  masters.  He 
scraped  and  dressed  them  very  thin  and  ate  the  shavings  of  raw 
hide  to  satisfy  his  hunger. 

After  this  period  of  eight  months  the  prickly  pear  season 
came  round.  They  got  a  little  dog,  which  they  killed  and  did 
eat  to  strengthen  them  for  the  journey.  Then  the  four  fugitives 
set  out,  subsisting  on  a  handful  or  so  of  prickly  pears  per  day. 
During  this  time  he  says:  "I  have  already  stated  that  through- 
out all  this  country  we  went  naked,  and  as  we  were  unaccus- 
tomed to  being  so,  twice  a  year  we  cast  our  skins  like  serpents." 

Their  fame  as  healers  had,  however,  preceded  them,  and  the 
natives  of  the  scattered  villages  came  out  in  welcoming  bands, 
bringing  their  sick  and  afflicted  to  the  white  men  for  succor. 
At  one  time  De  Vaca  successfully  extracted  an  old  arrow  head 
from  near  the  heart  of  a  chiefv  When  the  pilgrims  came  to  a 
village  the  natives  would  place  before  them  fine  robes  of  skins 
and  savage  riches  and  ornaments — all  their  simple  wealth — as 
propitiatory  presents,  but  the  Christians,  in  the  name  of  their 
God,  merely  blessed  and  returned  them.  At  times  their  progress 
was  accompanied  by  three  or  four  thousand  Indians  who  had  no 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  323 


idea  of  permitting  so  much  wealth  to  go  to  waste,  and  made 
a  practice  of  pillaging  every  village.  They  pacified  the  pil- 
laged by  telling  them  it  was  the  custom  and  that  they  should 
escort  the  white  men  on  to  the  next  town  and,  doing  likewise, 
repay  themselves  by  appropriating  their  goods.  Thus  did  the 
red  man  learn  to  rob  Peter  to  pay  Paul.  De  Vaca  says  of  the 
Indians:  "These  people  are  all  great  liars,  particularly  when 
it  is  to  their  interest." 

After  traversing  several  hundred  leagues  they  finally  arrived 
at  "a  great  river  coming  from  the  north,"  which,  from  a  study 
of  the  topography  described  and  a  close  calculation  of  the 
itinerary,  is  supposed  to  be  the  Pecos.  After  another  severe 
march,  crossing  high  mountains  and  wide  deserts,  they  came  to 
"a  great  river  breast  high,"  supposed  to  be  the  Bio  Grande. 
Proceeding  up  this  stream,  "habitations  were  first  seen  having 
the  appearance  and  structure  of  houses."  Immense  herds  of 
buffalo  were  also  noted.  The  country  was  also  reported  as 
populous  and  productive. 

Seven  years  from  the  date  of  Narvaez'  expedition  the  wan- 
derers fell  in  with  a  marauding  baud  of  Spaniards  in  Mexican 
territory,  under  command  of  Diego  de  Alcaraz.  They  had 
journeyed  from  Florida  to  Sonora,  on  the  Gulf  of  California  in 
Mexico,  and,  after  a  captivity  and  exile  of  eight  years,  they  were 
forwarded  to  the  City  of  Mexico,  where  Cabeza  de  Vaca  made 
a  report  to  the  viceroy  and  was  then  sent  on  to  Spain. 

How  he  afterwards  was  commissioned  as  governor  of  Uruguay, 
returned  and  became  a  member  of  the  council  of  the  Indies, 
does  not  concern  us ;  but  it  is  of  moment  that  for  decades  after- 
wards our  Indians  remembered  the  kindness  and  virtue  of  this 
man  and  received  his  compatriots  kindly  for  his  sake.  That 
they  were  subsequently  brought  to  somewhat  another  idea  of  his 
people  does  not  reflect  on  him.  Measuring  Penu,  Lord  Balti- 
more, and  the  best  of  the  early  eastern  settlers  by  his  standard, 
the  measure  is  not  to  their  credit.  He  was  not  only  kind  arid 
honest  with  the  Indians,  but  he  never  sought  to  take  advan- 
tage of  their  simplicity  or  ignorance.  He  practiced  in  their 


324  NEW  MEXICO. 


entirety  the  kindly  teachings  of  his  faith,  served  his  God  and 
loved  his  neighbor  as  himself. 

Friar  Marcus. 

Prof.  Bandelier,  however,  says  all  the  foregoing  that  relates 
to  New  Mexico  "is  devoid  of  foundation,"  and  gives  the  credit 
of  first  discovery  to  Friar  Marcus,  who  first  visited  the  Zuni 
pueblos  in  June,  1539.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  though,  the  guide 
and  interpreter  of  this  expedition  was  Estevancio,  De  Yaca's 
negro,  who  unquestionably  made  the  great  transcontinental 
journey. 

Friar  Marcus  bore  tidings  to  the  natives  from  the  Spanish 
emperor  that  they  would  not  be  enslaved  and  those  maltreating 
them  should  be  punished.  He  was  instructed  to  "make  them 
banish  all  fear  and  recognize  God  our  Savior,  who  is  in  heaven, 
and  the  emperor  placed  on  earth  to  govern."  This  expedition 
traveled  up  from  the  Gulf  of  California  and  entered  New  Mex- 
ico through  Arizona.  They  left  Sonora,  where  the  famous  Co- 
ronado  was  governor. 

Friar  Marcus,  after  entering  New  Mexico,  sent  the  negro 
ahead  as  a  herald,  and  arranged  with  him  a  novel  set  of  signals. 
"If  what  was  discovered,"  says  the  friar,  "was  but  a  mean  thing 
he  was  to  send  me  a  white  cross  one  handful  long;  if  it  were 
any  great  matter,  two  handf  uls  long ;  and  if  it  were  a  country 
greater  and  better  than  New  Spain,  he  should  send  me  a  great 
cross."  Estevancio  kept  the  natives  busy  carrying  crosses  taller 
than  a  man. 

Estevancio  had  a  pernicious  habit  of  appropriating  to  him- 
self such  goods,  chattels  and  women  as  he  desired.  Friar  Mar- 
cus arrived  at  the  great  pueblo  of  Cibolo  only  in  time  to  learn 
that  the  negro  had  just  been  killed  for  too  freely  appropriating 
the  native  women.  His  conduct  had  so  enraged  the  natives 
that  they  refused  the  friar  admittance  to  their  town  and  he 
was  feign  to  content  himself  with  a  thorough  examination  of  it 
from  a  neighboring  hill.  Cibolo  is  the  famous  Zuni  pueblo. 

Marcus  then  made  formal  proclamation  of  discovery  and  an- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  325 

nexation,  not  only  of  Cibolo,  which  he  had  not  entered,  but 
"also  of  the  'Seven  Cities'  and  the  Kingdom  of  Totonteac,  of 
Acus,  and  of  Marata.''  These  places  he  had  only  heard  of. 
He  also  erected  a  great  cross  in  memory  and  a*s  a  token  of  his 
proclamation.  Then,  as  he  expresses  it,  "possessed  with  more 
fear  than  victuals,"  he  journeyed  home  and  made  a  glowing  re- 
port as  to  rich  possessions  filled  with  turquoise  and  gold,  which 
influenced  another  expedition  of  more  formidable  character. 

Coronado. 

In  1540  Francisco  Vasquez  Coronado,  guided  by  Friar  Mar- 
cus, and  followed  by  250  men-at-arms,  proceeded  into  New 
Mexico  and  occupied  Cibolo  or  Zufii.  Thence,  through  recon- 
noitering  parties,  Coronado  explored  and  annexed  the  Moqui 
country  to  the  west  and  the  Acoma  and  Tegua  cities  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  near  the  site  of  Albuquerque.  The  inhabitants  of 
Cibolo,  anxious  to  be  rid  of  their  guests,  filled  their  minds  with 
visions  of  golden  cities  and  a  rich  country  farther  on,  and  very 
complacently  furnished  them  a  guide  in  the  person  of  an  in- 
land Indian.  Listening  to  these  tales,  they  departed  in  high 
spirits  and  followed  the  Indian  league  after  league  arid  month 
after  month.  Finally,  as  the  country  grew  drearier  and  more 
barren,  the  Indian  confessed  that  his  purpose  was  to  entice 
them  so  far  and  so  break  their  strength  and  spirits  that  they 
would  fall  an  easy  prey  to  the  Pueblos  on  their  return.  He 
was  summarily  hanged. 

During  this  expedition  Coronado  arrived  at  Bernalillo,  on  the 
Rio  Grande,  in  December,  1540,  and  then  the  Pecos  and  Galis- 
teo  basins  were  also  annexed.  In  May,  1541,  the  whole  force 
moved  forward  towards  the  mythical  city  of  Quivira,  in  north- 
eastern Kansas  or  the  contiguous  portions  of  Missouri.  This 
exploration  was  disappointing.  Unlike  the  Pueblo  or  village 
Indians  of  New  Mexico,  the  Quivirans  lived  in  frail  huts,  while 
the  pueblos  were  many  stories  high,  well  built  and  of  good 
architecture. 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Of  these  pueblo  or  communal  houses  Prof.  Bandelier,  the 
great  arch  geologist,  says: 

"Ancient  architecture  in  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  dis- 
plays variations,  but  they  are  only  in  degree,  not  in  kind. 
Nothing  warrants  the  assumption  that  the  people  who  reared 
the  cliff  dwellings,  for  instance,  differed  in  culture  from  those 
who  constructed  the  caves  or  the  large  pueblo  houses.  *  * 
*  *  *  On  the  whole,  New  Mexico  is  a  most  valuable  yet 
hardly  explored  field  of  archaeological  studies.  ***** 
The  pueblos  of  New  Mexico  afford  the  last  opportunity  for 
studying  a  civilization  at  present  unique  in  its  kind,  and  which 
reveals  many  features  important  to  the  understanding  of  clas- 
sical archaeology  even." 

These  mighty  and  famous  communal  houses  were  built  on 
some  point  of  importance  not  only  for  defensive  purposes  but 
to  overlook  the  country.  They  were  constructed  in  the  form  of 
squares  with  inside  courts  or  plazas,  all  the  apartments  hav- 
ing their  entrances  on  the  plaza,  and  the  building  itself  is  reared 
to  a  height  of  six  or  eight  stories,  made  of  well  laid  masonry. 
So  good  was  their  structure  that  many  of  them,  although  long 
abandoned,  remain  in  good  preservation  until  this  day.  Others 
that  have  been  constantly  inhabited  are  as  good  as  when  dis- 
covered. 

When  Coronado  returned  from  Quivira  he  explored  the  coun- 
try as  far  north  as  Taos,  near  the  Colorado  line,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1542  returned  to  his  province  of  Sonora  in  Mexico, 
leaving  behind  him  Andres  Docampo,  a  Portugese  soldier,  and 
three  priests.  He  failed  to  effect  a  settlement.  When  the  royal 
soldiers  shrunk  from  their  task  the  soldiers  of  the  cross  took  up 
the  work.  These  three  devoted  priests  were  Friars  Juan  de 
Padilla,  Juan  de  la  Cruz  and  Luis  Descolona.  The  first  went 
back  to  Quivira,  the  second 'remained  among  the  Teguas,  and 
the  last  established  himself  at  Pecos.  The  aged  men  of  these 
peoples  were  hostile  to  priestly  influence,  and,  although  they 
enjoyed  the  confidence  of  the  young  people,  they  were  all  killed 
within  a  year. 

In    1581    three   other   Franciscan   friars,    Francisco   Lopez, 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  827 

Juan  de  Santa  Maria  and  Agustin  Rodriguez,  accompanied  by 
eight  soldiers,  penetrated  New  Mexico  to  aid  the  three  others 
supposed  to  be  still  working  there.  Alarmed  at  the  reports 
concerning  the  first  three  priests,  the  soldiers  deserted  the 
priests,  who  pursued  their  expedition  and  were  murdered  short- 
ly afterwards,  one  near  the  present  town  of  San  Pedro  and  the 
other  two  at  the  pueblo  of  Puaray,  opposite  the  town  of  Berna- 
lillo. 

Other  Expeditions. 

In  1582  Antonio  de  Espejo,  with  fourteen  men,  explored  the 
country  from  103  degrees  west,  in  Arizona,  north  to  Galisteo,  in 
Santa  Fe"  county,  and  in  1585  the  expedition  of  Bonilla  and 
Jumana  was  destroyed  absolutely  by  hostile  Indians.  Another 
in  1590,  under  Gaspar  Castano  de  Sosa,  made  a  rapid  march 
through  the  Rio  Grande  valley. 

Onate's  Expedition  and  Settlement  of  Santa  Fe. 

In  1597,  after  many  vexatious  delays,  Don  Juan  de  Onate 
entered  New  Mexico  with  700  soldiers  and  130  families  for 
colonization.  On  September 
7,  1598,  he  founded  a  town 
at  Chamita,  opposite  the  pue- 
blo of  San  Juan  in  Santa  Fe 
county,  known  as  San  Ga- 
briel de  los  Espanoles,  which 
was  abandoned  in  1605  and 
the  colony  transferred  to 
Santa  Fe.  The  Pueblo  In- 
dians, with  the  exception  of 

the  Acoinans,    submitted        San  Miguel  churchf  Santa  Fe_.oldest 
peaceably.       These    latter 

made  several  attempts  to  entrap  and  kill  Onate  but  failed.  After 
a  struggle,  in  which  the  Spaniards  displayed  all  the  romantic 
bravery  of  the  conquistadores,  entrance  was  gained  to  the  city 
over  a  terrible  chasm  by  means  of  a  beam  thrown  across  it. 
After  the  Spanish  victory  these  Indians  became  very  peaceable. 


328  NEW  MEXICO. 


Onate  also  penetrated  to  the  towns  of  the  Quivirans  and  made 
a  treaty  of  peace  and  amity  with  them,  and  during  the  early 
history  of  Santa  Fe  a  deputation  of  800  Indians  visited  the  town 
praying  assistance  against  their  enemies  the  Axtaos  Indians. 

From  this  period  until  1680  Santa  Fe  was  the  only  European 
settlement  of  note,  but  the  Spaniards  had  spread  out  and  es- 
tablished towns  for  miners  and  settlements  of  families  in  every 
direction.  Rude  prospecting  went  on  and  much  mineral  was 
found.  They  impressed  the  Indians  as  slaves  and  laborers,  and 
were  embarking  on  big  schemes  of  mining,  the  Indians  appar- 
ently serving  patiently  if  not  cheerfully  at  their  heavy  tasks. 

The  Pueblo  Revolution. 

So  matters  progressed  until  1680,  when  Otermin  was  gov- 
ernor. Then  the  Pueblos,  maddened  by  forced  labor  in  the 
mines  and  fields  and  the  rigid  scrutiny  exercised  by  the  Inqui- 
sition over  their  religious  practices,  revolted  under  the  leader- 
ship of  a  Taos  Pueblo  named  Pope.  Their  plans  were  thorough- 
ly well  laid,  and  one  of  the  features  of  their  organization  was  a 
sentence  of  death  against  any  of  the  men  who  revealed  any- 
thing concerning  the  movement  to  a  native  woman.  When  the 
outbreak  occurred  the  outlying  ranches  were  ravaged  with  fire 
and  violence.  Governor  Otermin,  with  his  soldiers  and  1,000 
women  and  children,  were  besieged  in  the  "old  Palace,''  still 
standing  on  the  north  side  of  the  plaza  in  Santa  Fe\  On 
August  21,  1680,  the  garrison  found  the  palace  cut  off  from 
food  and  water.  A  vigorous  sortie  was  made,  the  natives  routed, 
and,  glad  of  the  opportunity,  the  beleaguered  Spaniards  took  up 
their  sorrowful  retreat. 

In  October  the  same  year  they  entered  El  Paso,  a  sorry  crowd 
'of  1,946,  including  300  friendly  Pueblos,  all  that  was  left  of 
the  Spanish  colonies.  In  the  rebellion  401  persons,  including 
78  soldiers  and  21  priests,  were  killed. 

The  Pueblos  retained  control  of  New  Mexico  from  1680  to 
1092.  Many  valuable  records  were  ruthlessly  destroyed.  The 
Spanish  language  and  the  planting  of  grains  and  seeds  intro- 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  329 

duced  by  the  conquerors  were  prohibited.  Pope  took  every 
opportunity  to  strengthen  himself,  and  above  all  else  was  at 
pains  that  every  trace  of  a  Spanish  mine  should  be  obliterated. 
Otermin  invaded  the  country  the  following  year  without  success, 
and  it  is  doubtful,  if  Pope"  had  not  exasperated  the  Pueblos  by 
his  growing  arrogance,  whether  the  Spaniards  could  have  mus- 
tered sufficient  strength  to  have  recaptured  their  lost  dominion. 
The  half  century  of  Spanish  control  seemed  to  have  unfitted 
the  Pueblos  for  self-government,  and  their  independence  of 
twelve  years  was  one  long  series  of  internecine  wars. 

The  Reconquest  Under  De  Vargas. 

In  the  spring  of  1692  Don  Diego  de  Yargas  Zapata  Lujan 
was  appointed  governor  of  the  lost  province.  Quickly  assem- 
bling an  army  of  300  Spaniards  and  100  Indians,  he  invaded, 
overran  and  reconquered  the  Territory  in  1692,  and  returned 
to  El  Paso  to  bring  back  the  families  who  had  been  so  sum- 
marily evicted  by  the  Pueblos.  He  again  entered  the  province 
in  1693,  but  the  same  rapidity  of  victory  did  not  mark  his 
progress.  The  Indians  showed  their  real  spirit,  and  it  was  only 
by  the  exercise  of  the  most  consummate  bravery,  talent  and  gen- 
eralship that  he  was  successful.  After  a  two  days  battle  he  re- 
duced the  pueblo  that  the  Tanos  Indians  had  established  on  the 
ruins  of  Santa  F6,  and  by  rapid,  well-timed  incursions  into  the 
surrounding  country  brought  something  like  order  out  of  the 
reigning  chaos.  Among  his  wonderful  fea'ts  was  the  capture  of 
the  Black  Mesa,  which  to-day  frowns  over  the  Santa  F6  South- 
ern railroad  near  San  Ildefonso.  Its  siege  occupied  nearly  a 
year  but  its  capture  taught  the  Pueblos  a  lesson,  and  they  were 
quiet  for  two  years.  •  In  1696  there  was  another  outbreak,  but 
De  Vargas  in  June  subjugated  the  Tanos  and  Tegnas  at  Santa 
Clara  canon,  in  July  the  Jemez,  Acomas  and  Zunis  at  Jemez 
canon,  and  in  October  he  defeated  the  remnant  of  the  insur- 
gents on  the  Nambe  mountains. 

De  Vargas  is  a  most  romantic  figure  in  New  Mexico's  history ; 
of  rapid  decision,  great  energy,  ready  resources  and  wonderful 


330  NEW  MEXICO. 


tact,  he  was  too  great  a  competitor  for  the  Indians.  His  valor 
was,  however,  repaid  by  removal  and  imprisonment  for  three 
and  a  half  years  in  the  old  palace.  He  was  then  released,  visit- 
ed Mexico  and  returned  as  governor  in  1703.  In  the  following 
year  he  died  at  Bernalillo.  His  successor,  Kodrignez  Cubero, 
who  filled  the  gap  in  De  Vargas1  governorship,  was  the  worst 
ruler  New  Mexico  ever  had. 

The  i8th  Century. 

From  De  Vargas  to  1800,  twenty-four  governors  ruled  in  the 
old  palace  at  Santa  Fe\  In  1706  Albuquerque  was  founded, 
and  named  for  the  then  governor,  who  bore  the  high  title  of 
Duke  of  Albuquerque.  Galisteo  was  settled  by  Indians  in  the 
same  year.  In  1720  Pedro  de  Villazus,  guided  by  LTArchi- 
veque,  the  betrayer  of  the  celebrated  La  Salle,  attempted  to 
reach  and  explore  the  Missouri  river.  From  that  time  until 
1746  a  number  of  mines  were  entered  and  opened,  but  yielded 
poorly,  all  except  the  Old  and  New  Placers  in  southern  Santa 
Fe"  county.  The  story  of  the  reigns  of  the  governors  of  this 
century  is  too  long  for  enumeration,  and  would  be  tiresome  on 
account  of  its  ceaseless  reiteration  of  the  plots  and  intrigues 
that  characterized  the  time. 

The  First  Americans. 

In  1804  Baptiste  Le  Laude,  an  unscrupulous  trader  em- 
ployed by  Mr.  Morrison,  of  Kaskaskia,  penetrated  New  Mexico 
and  sold  his  wares  at  such  prices  that  he  determined  to  settle, 
omitting  the  formality  of  an  accounting  with  his  employer.  The 
next  to  enter  New  Mexico  from  the  north  was  James  Purseley, 
in  1805,  a  hunter,  trapper  and  trader,  who'  had  become  lost  in 
the  Rocky  mountains.  He  brought  with  him  many  fine  speci- 
mens of  gold  and  silver  ore  from  the  section  now  known  as 
Colorado,  and  although  repeatedly  importuned  to  lead  a  party 
of  Mexicans  to  the  ledges  whence  they  came  he  refused.  To 
his  patriotism  is  owing  the  fact  that  these  rich  mines  were  re- 
served for  the  American  and  not  the  Mexican  republic. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  331 

Pike's  Expedition. 

In  1806  Lieut.  Zebulon  Montgomery  Pike  entered  New 
Mexico.  Unwittingly  he  had  erected  a  fort  and  raised  the 
American  flag  on  Mexican  soil  in  the  San  Luis  valley.  For 
this  he  was  placed  under  arrest,  brought  to  Santa  Fe  and  for- 
warded to  the  City  of  Mexico.  Describing  the  country  and 
people,  he  says:  "There  is  nothing  particularly  characteristic 
of  this  province  that  will  not  be  embraced  in  my  general  obser- 
vations of  New  Spain,  except  that  being  frontier  and  cut  off  as 
it  were  from  the  more  inhabited  parts  of  the  kingdom,  together 
with  their  continual  wars  with  some  of  the  savage  nations  who 
surround  them,  renders  the  New  Mexicans  the  bravest  and  most 
hardy  subjects  of  New  Spain.  ******  Their  isolated 
and  remote  situation  causes  them  to  exhibit  in  a  superior  de- 
gree the  heaven-like  qualities  of  hospitality  and  kindness,  iii 
which  they  appear  to  endeavor  to  fulfill  the  injunction  of  the 
scripture  which  enjoins  to  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the  naked 
and  give  comfort  to  the  oppressed  of  spirit;  and  I  shall  always 
take  pleasure  in  expressing  my  gratitude  for  their  noble  recep- 
tion of  myself  and  the  men  under  my  command."  His  meet- 
ing and  conversation  with  Alencaster,  then  governor,  is  a  model 
of  high  courtesy. 

The  Opening  of  the  Santa  Fe  Trail. 

In  1812  a  party  of  St.  Louis  merchants,  under  the  command 
of  Mr.  McKnight,  entered  New  Mexico  from  the  northwest. 
They  were  arrested  as  spies,  their  goods  confiscated,  and  sent 
south  to  follow  Pike.  They  were  held  as  prisoners  until  the 
success  of  Iturbide  liberated  Mexico  from  the  Spanish  crown. 

The  next  adventurous  trader  was  named  Glenn,  who  brought 
a  small  caravan  to  Santa  Fe".  His  cheap  calicoes  and  plain 
cottons  brought  as  high  as  $2  and  $3  per  yard.  When  these 
prices  were  reported  in  Missouri  the  "commerce  of  the  prairies" 
was  opened.  From  then  on  commenced  an  era  of  romance  and  ad- 
venture. Westport,  now  part  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  Santa  Fe" 
were  the  outposts  of  the  American  and  Spanish  civilizations. 


332  NEW  MEXICO. 


The  long  drive  over  the  boundless  prairies,  from  out  whose 
bosom  slowly  rose  glorious  snowy  peaks,  was  often  interrupted 
by  savage  nocturnal  surprises;  but  usually  this  journey  was 
marked  only  by  successive  stages  over  the  flowery  prairies  or 
through  the  wild  and  steep  passes  of  the  Katon  and  Santa  Fe 
mountains.  This  all  conspired  to  throw  a  wonderful  glamour 
over  this  traffic,  which  was  heightened  by  a  few  weeks  of  pleasure 
during  the  sale  of  goods  in  the  quaint  old  capital. 

The  trail,  however,  was  not  really  and  permanently  open  un- 
til 1822.  In  that  year  seventy  men  brought,  according  to  the 
Missouri  invoice,  $15,000  worth  of  goods  to  Santa  Fe.  From 
that  date  until  1843  the  trade  increased  until  350  men  and  230 
wagons,  loaded  with  $45 0,000  worth  of  goods  at  first  cost,  were 
transported  to  this  El  Dorado  of  western  trade  in  one  caravan. 

During  the  early  era  of  this  commerce  some  trouble  was 
caused  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  the  New  Mexicans  had  cap- 
tured, harshly  treated  and  imprisoned  a  Texas  filibustering  ex- 
pedition. Their  comrades  sought  to  make  reprisals  on  the 
caravans  of  the  Santa  F6  trail,  and  Don  Antonio  Jose  Chavez, 
a  very  prominent  New  Mexican,  was  murdered  with  his  escort 
on  the  trail,  and  about  $30,000  stolen  from  him.  This  was  the 
more  abominable  as  this  man's  family  had  done  all  in  their 
power  to  mitigate  the  sufferings  of  the  Texans. 

New  Mexico  Asserts  the  Right  to  Home  Rule. 

In  1837  Albino  Perez,  a  coloiiel  in  the  Mexican  army,  was 
appointed  by  President  Santa  Ana  governor  of  New  Mexico. 
The  New  Mexicans  were  used  to  have  their  rulers  appointed 
from  among  their  own  community,  and  this  installation  of  an 
outsider  incensed  them  beyond  measure.  It  is  true  that  Fa- 
cundo  Melgares  had  been  from  Mexico,  but  he  was  well  known 
and  greatly  beloved  by  all  the  Spanish  speaking  people  on  ac- 
count of  the  part  he  had  taken  in  the  liberation  of  Mexico. 
Pike  speaks  of  him  as  a  man  of  the  rarest  ability,  courage  and 
courtesy.  Between  him  and  Governor  Perez  ten  native  gover- 
nors had  intervened.  Besides,  with  the  latter' s  advent  new  taxes 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  333 

were  imposed,  and  the  Mexican  constitution  changing  the  Ter- 
ritory into  a  department  or  state  was  distasteful.  The  first  pre- 
text of  rebellion  was  therefore  taken  and  an  insurgent  camp 
pitched  at  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada.  Perez  marched  against 
them  and  a  battle  took  place  at  San  Ildefonso,  during  which 
the  majority  of  his  forces  deserted,  and  Perez  was  defeated. 
Retreating  on  foot  to  better  escape  discovery,  he  was  betrayed, 
captured  and  killed  between  Santa  Fe"  and  Agua  Fria,  a  short 
distance  from  Santa  Fe;  and  in  a  few  weeks,  or  by  August 
9  of  the  same  year,  all  of  Perez'  political  followers  were  killed 
or  captured.  Jose  Gonzales,  a  Pueblo  Indian,  was  elected  gov- 
ernor, but  was  completely  outgeneraled  arid  defeated  by  Gov. 
Arrnijo,  appointed  by  the  Mexican  authorities. 

When  Gonzales  was  captured  he  advanced  to  Armijo  with 
the  greatest  familiarity,  addressing  him  as  "companero."  Gov. 
Armijo  replied  urbanely  to  the  salutation,  and  then  said  "con- 
fess yourself,  companero.  Now  shoot  my  companero."  And 
Gonzales  was  accordingly  shot. 

New  Mexico   Under  the  Flag. 

Armijo  was  the  last  Mexican  governor.  In  this  sketch  no 
attention  is  paid  to  the  transition  of  the  country  from  the  con- 
trol of  Spain  to  that  of  Mexico,  for  the  reason  that  it  did  not 
create  a  ripple  in  its  affairs.  The  capture  of  the  country  by 
Gen.  S.  W.  Kearney,  by  a  series  of  well  timed  forced  marches, 
was  almost  equally  uneventful.  Kearney,  with  a  small  army, 
came  down  from  the  north,  quietly  captured  Las  Vegas,  and 
then  pushed  on  to  Santa  Fe.  Considerable  force  was  sent  out 
to  intercept  his  march  but  he  eluded  it  and  appeared  on  Fort 
Marcy,  a  high  hill  overlooking  Santa  Fe"  and  within  200  yards 
of  the  Governor's  Palace.  The  town  surrendered  at  discretion  ; 
and  Gen.  Kearney  on  August  22,  1846,  raised  the  flag  in  the 
plaza  and  declared  New  Mexico  to  be  part  of  the  United  States. 
Not  a  shot  had  been  fired  or  a  drop  of  blood  spilled.  There- 
upon Gen.  Kearney  appointed  a  territorial  government,  mostly 
from  among  the  citizens  of  9  the  Territory,  as  follows :  Chas. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  335 

Bent,  governor;  Donaciano  Vigil,  secretary;  Richard  Dollain, 
marshal;  Francis  P.  Blair,  U.  S.  district  attorney ;  Chas.  Blum- 
ner,  treasurer;  Eugene  Leitendorfer,  auditor;  and  Joab  Hough- 
ton,  Antonio  Jose  Otero  and  Chas.  Beaubien,  judges  of  the 
supreme  court.  He  also  set  a  commission  to  work  codifying 
the  laws,  and  had  a  complete  government  in  working  order  in 
twenty-four  hours  after  taking  possession. 

In  the  following  year  Don  Diego  Archuleta  and  Don  Tomas 
Ortiz  stirred  up  a  revolution,  which  was  easily  put  down  be- 
fore it  gathered  head.  During  this  affair  the  first  territorial 
governor,  Charles  Bent,  who  was  at  Taos  to  quell  the  disturb- 
ance, was  killed  by  a  mob  of  Mexicans  and  Taos  Pueblo  In- 
dians. An  expedition  was  dispatched  to  Taos  and  the  pueblo 
of  Taos  was  captured  by  the  troops  under  Colonels  Price  and 
St.  Vrain.  The  guides  were  Manuel  Chaves  and  Nicolas  Pino, 
heads  of  two  well  known  Santa  Fe  familes.  In  the  fight  some 
fifty  Pueblos  were  killed.  The  president  exonerated  the  leaders 
of  the  conspiracy  from  the  charge  of  treason  on  the  ground  that 
Mexico  being  at  war  with  the  United  States,  and  this  being 
merely  a  captured  province,  until  a  final  treaty  was  signed  there 
could  be  no  such  thing  as  treason  on  the  part  of  a  New  Mexican 
in  fighting  to  support  his  mother  country. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  because  so  slight  a  resistance  was 
offered  to  the  occupation  by  the  United  States  that  the  New  Mex- 
icans were  a  weak  or  cowardly  people,  and  their  record  in  the 
field  during  the  rebellion  will  entirely  disprove  this.  The  fact  is 
the  people  were  tired  of  paying  to  Mexico  a  multitude  of  bur- 
densome direct  taxes  and  were  only  too  ready  to  accede  to  the 
liberal  terms  of  Kearney.  The  disaffected  found  it  impossible 
to  raise  a  following  among  the  people.  Indeed,  the  crimes, 
arrogance  and  extortion  of  Armijo  made  the  people  welcome 
Kearney  as  a  deliverer.  Armijo  was  a  large,  blustering  man, 
whose  motto  and  expression  was  "It  is  better  to  be  thought 
brave  than  to  be  so;''  and  who  was  wont  to  cane  his  subjects  on 
the  open  streets.  He  was  a  tyrant,  but  a  man  who  played  on 
the  weaknesses  of  others  and  therein  found  his  strength. 


NEW  MEXICO. 


Modern  New  Mexico. 

The  history  of  New  Mexico  down  to  the  opening  of  the  great 
civil  war  in  1801  is  uneventful  and  practically  devoid  of  interest 
except  for  numerous  fights  and  campaigns  against  Navajoes 
and  Apaches  by  United  States  troops  and  New  Mexico  volun- 
teers. 

At  that  period,  however,  it  became  the  theatre  of  some  of 
the  most  thrilling  and  important  operations  of  that  great  strug- 
gle. The  prime  necessity  of  the  south  was  a  source  of  revenue, 
and  its  leaders  planned  a  remedy  for  this  defect  by  the  capture 
of  the  great  southwest,  including  New  Mexico,  Colorado,  Ari- 
zona and  California.  This  was,  even  then,  known  to  be  the 
treasure  house  of  the  world.  Besides  this,  it  would  open  the 
important  ports  of  the  Pacific  to  the  southern  commerce.  Per- 
haps no  greater  dream  of  empire  ever  entered  the  mind  of  man. 
If  successful  the  Confederacy  would  have  controlled  a  coast 
line  from  Chesapeake  bay  on  the  Atlantic,  through  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  and  then  along  the  Pacific  from  Lower  California  to 
Puget's  sound;  in  addition  to  which  it  would  have  owned  the 
greatest  mineral  fields  known  and  might  by  liberal  legislation 
have  invited  the  choicest  immigration  of  the  world.  The  South- 
ern leaders  reasoned  that  New  Mexico  had  been  too  short  a 
period  under  the  flag  to  become  greatly  attached  to  its  inter- 
ests. They  forgot,  however,  that  when  New  Mexico  applied  for 
statehood  under  the  guarantee  of  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe 
Hidalgo  this  people  almost  unanimously  swore  allegiance  to 
the  United  States:  they  forgot  that  in  the  simple  ethics  of  this 
people  such  an  oath  is  of  paramount  obligation  ;  they  also  forgot 
that  the  New  Mexicans  were  opposed  to  and  in  their  constitution 
prohibited  slavery.  When,  therefore,  a  small  army  of  well  drilled 
and  armed  troops  of  the  South,  principally  Texans  and  their  de- 
scendants who  had  so  thoroughly  thrashed  Santa  Ana,  invaded 
New  Mexico  in  1862  they  were  met  by  the  small  force  of  regu- 
lars and  the  native  militia  at  Yalverde,  Canon  del  Apache  and 
Pigeon's  Ranch.  Fierce  battles  took  place,  and  although  the 
Texans,  under  Gen.  Sibley,  pushed  on  and  captured  Santa  Fe, 


CAL  ; 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  337 

which  they  held  for  about  two  months,  the  fight  against  them 
was  so  bitter  that  they  were  compelled  in  one  campaign  to  re- 
treat across  the  Texas  border.  During  the  war  New  Mexico 
sent  more  men  into  the  field,  in  proportion  to  population,  than 
all  the  western  States  and  Territories  together,  if  Kansas  and 
California  are  omitted.  Indeed  at  times  all  the  men  capable  of 
bearing  arms  were  in  the  field,  either  as  U.  S.  volunteers  or  ter- 
ritorial militia,  engaged  in  fighting  fierce  and  bloodthirsty 
Apaches  and  Navajoes  and  guarding  the  frontier  against  Con- 
federate and  Mexican  inroads  and  attacks. 

Indian   Wars. 

From  1865  to  1881  the  Territory  was  plunged  in  the  hor- 
rors of  two  terrible  Indian  wars.  Up  to  this  period  the  U.  S.  gov 
ernment  had  already  expended  many  millions  in  the  subjugation 
of  Indians  in  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  which  up  to  1863  was 
a  county  of  New  Mexico.  During  these  wars,  as  also  in  the  re- 
bellion, Kit  Carson  and  a  regiment  of  New  Mexicans  greatly 
distinguished  themselves.  Indeed  during  the  war  from  1860 
to  1865  the  New  Mexico  militia  when  not  operating  against 
the  Texans  were  busily  engaged  in  fighting  the  Navajoes  and 
Apaches.  It  was  also  during  this  period  that  Gen.  Carlton  is- 
sued orders  to  kill  without  parley  every  Indian  found  with 
arms.  In  the  summer  of  1863  there  was  an  effective  force  of 
3,000  men  employed  in  the  Indian  campaigns,  composed  of 
regular  troops  and  New  Mexicans,  and  a  continual  fight  was 
waged  against  the  Apaches  and  Navajoes.  The  militia  were  un- 
der the  command  of  Kit  Carson ;  they  took  no  prisoners  from 
among  the  braves.  They  killed  301,  wounded  87  and  703 
surrendered.  On  the  last  day  of  February  Gen.  Carlton  re- 
ported that  the  Navajoes  acknowledged  defeat,  after  a  struggle 
against  the  Spaniards,  Mexicans  and  Americans  of  10.8  years. 

Kit  Carson  then  headed  an  expedition  to  capture  the  re- 
maining Navajoes,  among  them  Manuelito,  a  famous  chief.  Al- 
though many  were  killed  or  taken  Manuelito  escaped  and  was 
for  a  long  time  head  chief  of  the  tribe. 


338  NEW  MEXICO. 


In  1867  a  commission  was  appointed  to  investigate  the  In- 
dian wars.  They  reported  that  $500,000,000  and  20,000  lives 
had  been  expended  in  the  Indian  wars,  principally  against  the 
Apaches  and  Navajoes.  The  Apache  war  which  continued  from 
1861  to  1870  cost  the  government  above  $40,000,000. 

Again  in  1878  Yictorio  broke  away  from  the  reservation  and 
with  about  200  braves  desolated  southern  New  Mexico;  and 
from  that  date  for  over  two  years  he  never  left  the  war-path, 
keeping  Grant,  Sierra  and  Socorro  counties  in  continual  terror. 
He  was  killed  at  the  fight  of  Tres  Castillos,  in  the  State  of  Chi- 
huahua, in  September,  1880,  by  Mexican  troops  under  Colonel 
Joaquin  Terrasas. 

These  Indians  were  not  really  ousted  from  New  Mexico  un- 
til 1886 ;  ahd  it  was  only  after  vigorous  campaigns  by  Gens. 
Crook  and  Miles  that  the  Apaches  were  driven .  onto  the  San 
Carlos  reservation  in  Arizona. 

American  Development. 

The  development  of  New  Mexico  under  American  control 
properly  began  with  the  introduction  of  railroads.  On  the  15th 
of  February,  1880,  the  road  was  completed  to  Santa  Fe,  three 
hundred  and  sixty  miles  having  been  built  in  260  days  to  save 
its  charter.  In  a  short  time  thereafter  it  -was  completed  to  El 
Paso,  and  by  branch  lines  to  Dem  ing,  Silver  City  and  Lake 
Valley.  By  connections  with  the  Atlantic  &  Pacific  it  ob- 
tained connection  with  Los  Angeles  and  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
The  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  railroad  afterwards  pushed  into 
the  Territory  and  now  controls  150  miles  in  the  northwestern 
part,  and  over  the  Santa  Fe*  Southern  has  direct  connection 
with*  Santa  Fe*.  The  Southern  Pacific  road  also  crosses  the 
southern  tier  of  counties  from  Arizona  to  El  Paso.  According 
to  the  census  there  were  in  1889  1,326  miles  of  railroad  in 
New  Mexico,  or  one  mile  for  every  92.42  square  miles  of  coun- 
try, or  120.64  in  the  number  of  inhabitants.  Since  that  date 
the  Pecos  Valley  railroad  has  completed  ninety-seven  miles  of 
road,  and  it  is  projected  on  to  a  junction  with  the  Santa  Fe",  a 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.     .  339 


distance  of  150  miles  more.  So  that  there  are  now  1,423  miles 
of  railroad  in  actual  operation  in  the  Territory.  It  is  since  the 
advent  of  railroads  that  the  real  progress  of  New  Mexico  has 
begun.  In  1880  this  was  a  frontier  country.  Its  resources 
were  absolutely  unknown  except  to  a  few  adventurous  spirits. 
There  were  no  towns  of  any  size  or  importance,  except  Santa 
Fe.  Since  that  date  Las  Vegas,  Albuquerque,  Silver  City, 
Deming,  Eddy,  Eoswell  and  Socorro  have  come  into  notice  as 
thriving  and  growing  communities.  The  urban  population  of 
the  Territory  has  increased  more  than  25,000.  In  agriculture, 
the  principal  industry  of  man,  great  progress  has  been  made. 
In  the  northeast  the  Maxwell  grant  reservoirs  and  canals  have 
actually  opened  to  use  55,000  acres,  and  its  projected  works 
will  cover  150,000  acres  more.  In  the  Pecos  valley,  in  the 
southeast,  there  is  an  assurance  of  500,000  acres  fit  for  high 
class  culture.  In  the  southwest  25,000  acres  are  being  prepared 
for  occupancy.  In  San  Juan  county  30,000  acres  are  reclaimed, 
with  a  certain  prospect  that  over  400,000  more  may  be  put 
under  water  as  occasion  requires.  In  the  great  central  valley 
of  the  Eio  Grande  there  are  large  projects  under  consideration, 
whose  ultimate  area  of  reclamation  cannot  now  be  estimated. 
In  a  word,  New  Mexico  has  made  more  actual  progress  in  in- 
dustry and  reclamation  than  any  State  or  Territory  in  the 
Eocky  mountain  or  plains  region  except  Colorado,  and  is  over- 
shadowed by  her  neighbor  simply  because  she  is  cut  off  from 
the  benefits  of  self-government.  As  much  as  a  Territory  can 
do  has  been  accomplished. 

It  is  felt  now  to  be  certain  that  the  patience  of  her  people 
will  soon  be  rewarded,  and  that  at  sometime  during  the  53rd 
Congress  New  Mexico  will  be  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  state- 
hood. Those  who  would  wish  to  realize  the  full  benefits  of 
this  action  of  Congress  should  be  citizens  of  the  Territory  with 
a  voice  in  shaping  her  State  constitution. 

Efforts  for  Statehood. 

The  history  of  the  efforts  of  New  Mexico  to  be  admitted  to 


NEW  MEXICO. 


the  Union  of  States  is  very  interesting.  The  treaty  of  peace 
signed  at  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  contained  an  implied  promise 
that  this  admission  should  be  just  as  soon  as  Congress  could 
carefully  examine  into  the  matter.  Consequently,  even  before 
the  proper  admission  of  New  Mexico  as  a  Territory  the  people 
met  in  delegate  convention  and  adopted  a  constitution,  which  was 
submitted  to  the  people,  who  ratified  it  almost  unanimously. 
Under  authority  of  this  action  a  State  Legislature  met  on  July 
1,  1850,  and  elected  two  United  States  Senators.  The  people 
during  the  previous  June  had  elected  a  Congressman.  The 
Senators  and  Congressman  proceeded  to  Washington  and  pre- 
sented the  constitution  and  their  credentials  for  approval.  In 
the  meantime,  however,  Congress  had  passed  the  organic  act 
creating  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico,  and  refused  to  seat  the 
Senators  elected,  but  admitted  the  Representative  as  territorial 
Delegate  in  Congress.  In  the  light  of  subsequent  events,  it  is 
curious  to  note  that  Congress  refused  to  admit  New  Mexico  to 
statehood  at  that  time  because  "she  was  too  far  ahead  of  the 
times,"  the  reason  being  that  her  constitution  provided  that 
"all  men  being  born  equally  free  and  independent,  and  having 
certain  natural  and  inalienable  rights,  *  *  *  *  therefore 
no  male  person  shall  be  held  by  law  to  serve  any  person  as  a 
servant,  slave  or  apprentice  after  he  arrives  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-one years,  nor  female,  in  like  manner,  after  she  arrives  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  years,  unless  they  be  bound  by  their  own 
consent  after  they  arrive  at  such  age  or  are  bound  by  law  for 
the  punishment  of  crime." 

This  was  the  first  declaration  of  popular  freedom  south  of 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line.  In  the  terrible  war  of  the  rebellion 
the  New  Mexicans  sealed  their  faith  in  universal  liberty  with 
their  blood.  Yet  since  the  close  of  the  war  there  have  not 
been  wanting  bigots  and  ignorant  men  to  hurl  the  charge  that 
New  Mexico  is  not  liberal  enough  to  be  admitted  to  this  Union. 
The  serf  of  Russia  can  be  a  full  fledged  American  citizen  in 
five  years;  but  the  native  New  Mexican,  who  blazed  the  path 
of  freedom,  watered  it  with  his  blood,  fought  heroically  for  the 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  341 

vital  interests  of  his  government,  has  been  restrained  in  a  state 
of  pupilage  for  half  a  century.  The  story  of  the  peculiar  and 
unique  devotion  of  the  New  Mexican  of  Spanish  descent  to  the 
American  flag  is  a  theme  for  eloquence,  but  the  limits  of  this 
chapter  only  permit  a  cold  detail  of  the  facts. 

Since  the  organization  of  this  Territory  half  the  Legislatures 
have  petitioned  for  statehood.  In  1871  the  Legislative  Assem- 
bly passed  a  law  authorizing  the  assembling  of  a  constitutional 
convention.  At  the  election  following  20,000  votes  were  cast 
for  Delegate  to  Congress  and  less  than  4,000  were  against  the 
constitution,  which  was  broad  and  liberal.  Again  Congress  re- 
fused to  admit  the  Territory.  In  1874  the  national  House 
passed  an  enabling  act  for  the  Territory  and  the  Senate  con- 
curred therein,  but  a  few  trifling  amendments  were  added,  upon 
which  no  vote  was  had,  and  therefore  the  bill  failed.  In  the 
following  Congress,  the  44th,  it  passed  the  Senate  by  an  over- 
whelming majority,  but  was  killed  in  the  House.  In  every  Con- 
gress thereafter  bills  were  introduced  to  admit  New  Mexico  to 
statehood,  but  none  were  passed  by  either  house,  except  during 
the  52nd  Congress,  when  the  House  passed  an  enabliug  act, 
which  was  not  brought  to  a  vote  in  the  Senate.  Favorable  re- 
ports'have,  however,  been  introduced  in  almost  every  Congress 
by  the  Committee  on  Territories. 

New  Mexico,  in  her  resources,  in  her  population,  her  wealth, 
her  schools,  her  people,  is  not  behind,  but  far  ahead  of  States 
having  an  equal  population.  She  has  a  greater  number  of  peo- 
ple and  more  riches  than  any  Territory,  except  the  two  Dakotas, 
at  the  date  of  its  admission,  and  it  is  confidently  expected  that 
this  Congress,  the  53rd,  will  right  this  great  wrong. 


NEWSPAPERS. 


The  following  is  a  list  of  the  newspapers  (with  class  and 
location  of  each)  published  in  New  Mexico  December  15,  1893, 
the  date  at  which  this  report  closes: 

San  Juan  County. 

The  Index Weekly Aztec. 

The  Times Weekly Farmingtou. 

Rio  Arriba  County. 

The  Northwest  New  Mexican Weekly Chama. 

Taos  County. 

The  Herald Weekly Taos. 

The  Miner Weekly Amizett. 

Col  fax  County. 

The  Range Weekly Raton. 

The  Reporter Weekly Raton. 

The  Stockman Weekly Springer. 

Union  County. 

The  Democrat Weekly Clayton. 

The  Enterprise Weekly Clayton. 

The  Metropolitan Weekly Folsom. 

San  Miguel  County. 

The  Optic Daily  and  weekly Las  Vegas. 

LaVoz  del  Pueblo Weekly Las  Vegas. 

Revista  Catolica Weekly Las  Vegas. 

The  Stock  Grower Weekly Las  Vegas. 

Santa  Fe  County. 

The  New  Mexican  Daily  and  weekly Santa  Fe. 

El  Nuevo  Mexicano Weekly Santa  F£. 

The  Sun Weekly Santa  Fe. 

El  Boletin  Popular Weekly Santa  Fe. 

The  Rustler Weekly Cerrillos. 

The  Galisteo  Democrat Weekly Cerrillos. 

Bernalillo  County. 

The  Citizen Daily  and  weekly Albuquerq  ue. 

The  Democrat Daily A  Ibuquerque. 

The  Times Daily Albuquerque. 

The  Gleaner Weekly Gallup. 


BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  IMMIGRATION.  343 


Socorro  County. 

The  Advertiser Weekly Socorro. 

The  Chieftain Weekly Socorro. 

El  Heraldo Weekly Socorro. 

The  Bee Weekly San  Marcial. 

Sierra  County. 

The  Advocate Weekly Hillsborough. 

The  Shaft Weekly Kingston. 

The  Black  Range Weekly Chloride. 

Grant  County. 

The  Enterprise Weekly Silver  City. 

The  Southwest  Sentinel Weekly Silver  City. 

The  Headlight Weekly Deming. 

The  Liberal Weekly Lordsburg. 

Dona  Ana  County. 

The  Independent  Democrat Weekly Las  Cruces. 

The  Republican Weekly Las  Cruces.  • 

Lincoln  County. 

The  Eagle Weekly White  Oaks. 

The  Leader Weekly White  Oaks. 

Chaves  County. 

The  Register Weekly Roswell. 

The  Record Weekly Roswell. 

Eddy  County. 

The  Argus Weekly Eddy. 

The  Citizen Weekly Eddy. 

The  Current Dai  ly  and  weekly Eddy. 

The  Independent Weekly Eddy. 

This  makes  a  total  of  six  dailies  and  forty-four  weeklies. 


OF 


f    UNIVERSITY   I 
Vc. 


INDEX. 


Pa^e. 

Bernalillo  County 179 

Climate 272 

Colfax  County , 123 

Doiia  Ana  County 234 

Education 282 

Grant  County 224 

Historical  Sketch '321 

Hot  Springs 305 

I  ndians 293 

Irrigation 42 

Lincoln  County 209 

Live  Stock 296 

Membership  of  the  Bureau 2 

Mining 65 

Mora  County v 142 

New  Mexico — general  article  thereon 3 

Newspapers 342 

Property 318 

Railroads 299 

Rio  Arriba  County 106 

San  Juan  County 92 

San  Miguel  and  Guadalupe  Counties 151 

Santa  Fe  County 163 

Sierra  County 215 

Socorro  County 200 

Staple  Products 311 

Taos  County 113 

The  Pecos  Valley—Eddy  and  Chaves  Counties 244 

Union  County 138 

Valencia  Countv.. .                                                                                          .  191 


— 


Renewe 


_ 
INiERUBRARY  LOAN 


MAR  2    6  '™  *t 


jD  2lA-60m-2 '67 
(H241slO)476B 


Uni'1 


Berkeley 


